General penalty—Civil penalty—Jurisdiction—Disposition of fines—Failure to inform of special directions, gross misdemeanor.
(1) In all cases where no other penalty is prescribed in this chapter, any violation of this chapter or of any rule or regulation of the board shall be punished as a gross misdemeanor, and all violations may be prosecuted in any court of competent jurisdiction in any county where the offense or any part thereof was committed. In any case where the offense was committed upon a ship, boat or vessel, and there is doubt as to the proper county, the same may be prosecuted in any county through any part of which the ship, boat or vessel passed, during the trip upon which the offense was committed. All fines collected for any violation of this chapter or any rule or regulation of the board shall within thirty days be paid by the official collecting the same to the state treasurer and shall be credited to the pilotage account: PROVIDED, That all fees, fines, forfeitures and penalties collected or assessed by a district court because of the violation of a state law shall be remitted as provided in chapter 3.62 RCW as now exists or is later amended.
(2) Notwithstanding any other penalty imposed by this section, any person who shall violate the provisions of this chapter, shall be liable to a maximum civil penalty of ten thousand dollars for each violation. The board may request the attorney general or the prosecuting attorney of the county in which any violation of this chapter occurs to bring an action for imposing the civil penalties provided for in this subsection.
Moneys collected from civil penalties shall be deposited in the pilotage account.
(3) Any master of a vessel who shall knowingly fail to inform the pilot dispatched to said vessel or any agent, owner, or operator, who shall knowingly fail to inform the pilot dispatcher, or any dispatcher who shall knowingly fail to inform the pilot actually dispatched to said vessel of any special directions mandated by the coast guard captain of the port under authority of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act of 1972, as amended, for the handling of such vessel shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
[ 1995 c 174 s 2. Prior: 1987 c 485 s 5; 1987 c 202 s 247; 1977 ex.s. c 337 s 8; 1969 ex.s. c 199 s 41; 1967 c 15 s 7; 1935 c 18 s 10; RRS s 9871-10; prior: 1888 p 179 s 27.]
NOTES:
Intent—1987 c 202: See note following RCW 2.04.190.
Severability—1977 ex.s. c 337: See note following RCW 88.16.005.