H-4463 _______________________________________________

SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1527

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State of Washington 49th Legislature 1986 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Haugen, S. Wilson, McMullen, Kremen, Braddock and K. Wilson)

Read first time 2/6/86 and passed to Committee on Rules.

AN ACT Relating to Puget Sound whiting; amending RCW 75.30.050; and adding new sections to chapter 75.30 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 75.30 RCW to read as follows:

The legislature finds that maintaining a commercial whiting fishery in Puget Sound affects the public welfare. Excessive fishing for Puget Sound whiting, especially at the time of spawning, severely affects the abundance of whiting. The legislature further finds that as a result of increases in the number of vessels fishing for whiting, the amount of gear used in fishing, and the limited whiting resource, it is proper and necessary to limit the number of vessels and amount of gear used in taking whiting in Puget Sound.

The whiting fishery in Puget Sound requires regular monitoring to determine fish abundance. Fishing seasons shall be established using preseason and post-season evaluations based on samples taken in each management area.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 75.30 RCW to read as follows:

Commercial Puget Sound whiting license endorsements issued under section 4 of this act shall be valid for the owner and the vessel for which the endorsement was issued. The endorsement may be transferred through gift, devise, bequest or descent to members of the immediate family which shall be limited to spouse, children or stepchildren. Only a natural person may possess an endorsement. The owner of the endorsement must be present on any vessel taking whiting under terms of the endorsement. In no instance may temporary permits be issued.

The director may adopt rules necessary to implement sections 1 through 4 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 75.30 RCW to read as follows:

To obtain a Puget Sound commercial whiting endorsement, the owner of the vessel must have delivered at least fifty thousand pounds of whiting during the period from January 1, 1981, through February 22, 1985 as verified by fish delivery tickets and must have possessed, on January 1, 1986, all equipment necessary to fish for whiting.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 75.30 RCW to read as follows:

In addition to any other license, a Puget Sound commercial whiting endorsement is required to take whiting in the waters of marine fish-shell fish management and catch reporting areas 24B, Port Susan; 24C, Saratoga Passage; 26A, Possession Sound; or any other area designated by the department. An annual endorsement fee is two hundred dollars for residents and four hundred dollars for nonresidents. The license shall be affixed to the licensed vessel.

Sec. 5. Section 5, chapter 106, Laws of 1977 ex. sess. as amended by section 138, chapter 46, Laws of 1983 1st ex. sess. and RCW 75.30.050 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The director shall appoint three-member advisory review boards to hear cases as provided in RCW 75.30.060. Members shall be from:

(a) The salmon charter boat fishing industry in cases involving salmon charter boat licenses or angler permits;

(b) The commercial salmon fishing industry in cases involving commercial salmon licenses;

(d) The commercial herring fishery in cases involving herring validations; and

(e) The commercial Puget Sound whiting fishery in cases involving Puget Sound whiting license endorsements.

(2) Members shall serve at the discretion of the director and shall be reimbursed for travel expenses as provided in RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.