H-1422              _______________________________________________

                                            HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 15

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State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Representatives Lundquist, Haugen, S. Wilson, Zellinsky, Thomas, Brough, Isaacson, Holland, J. Williams, Bond and Ballard

Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE SHULTZ, SECRETARY OF STATE, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE HONORABLE BOOTH GARDNER, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The species of trout commonly called "steelhead trout" (salmo gairdnerii) is of significant and irreplaceable value to the economic and recreational future of the State of Washington and these United States; and

          WHEREAS, The people of the State of Washington have expressed their desire, by the passage of Initiative 456, that the steelhead trout be designated a national game fish protected by the Federal Black Bass Act; and

          WHEREAS, The steelhead trout needs the protection of the treaties of the United States in order to prevent the commercial harvesting of the trout;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that any future United States treaty proposing to control or regulate steelhead trout (salmo gairdnerii) in international or national waterways shall stipulate that the steelhead trout is exclusively a game fish and not commercially harvestable.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the Honorable George Shultz, Secretary of State, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, each member of Congress from the State of Washington, and the Honorable Booth Gardner, Governor of the State of Washington.