HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1752

BYRepresentatives Spanel, S. Wilson, Haugen, Sayan, Fox, Hargrove, Cole, Kremen, Amondson, Braddock, Schmidt, Sanders and Cooper

Authorizing one day not-for-profit smelt fishing derbies.

House Committe on Natural Resources

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Sutherland, Chair; K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Amondson, Beck, Bumgarner, Butterfield, Cole, Dorn, Haugen, Spanel and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES FEBRUARY 2, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Prior to 1987, sports anglers fishing for food fish only had to obtain a salmon punchcard from the Department of Fisheries.  The 1987 Legislature enacted a law requiring that anyone sport fishing for food fish possess a personal use license.  The license cost is $3 for residents and $9 for non-residents.  It allows the person to fish for any food fish.  In order to fish for salmon or sturgeon, an additional punchcard is required at a cost of $3 each.

The Department of Fisheries administers over 100 species of food fish, excluding shellfish.  Of the food fish species, only five are salmon.  With the new law, a license is required to fish for any of the food fish.

1988 is the first year the personal use license is in effect.  Sports anglers must learn to obtain the license and sporting derbies need to inform entrants of the need to buy the license.  Because of recently passed laws, some people and sporting event organizers do not understand the applicability of the law.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  The Director of Fisheries may permit smelt to be taken without a personal use license if a person is fishing in a one-day smelt fishing derby sponsored by a not-for-profit community organization.  The applicant must pay an application fee of $25 for each derby.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  New language requires that the applicant must pay an application fee of $25 for each fishing derby.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Spanel; Mr. Paul, LaConner Rotary Club.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Ray Ryan, Department of Fisheries.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill requiring a license in order to fish for smelt caught the sponsor of the fishing derby by surprise.  It does not provide any exception for charitable events.  Community sponsored non- profit events need an exception.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      The law requiring personal use fishing licenses has only been in effect for one month.  The Department prefers to wait at least one year before making any changes to the law.  In other areas where the law has cause d people to obtain licenses where they were not previously needed the compliance has been good.