S-1528               _______________________________________________

                                         SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5122

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, DeJarnatt and Stratton)

Read first time 2/06/87.

AN ACT Relating to aquaculture; and adding new sections to chapter 79.90 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature recognizes the potential of marine salmon pen culture to the state as a new industry, and also recognizes the potential conflicts that marine salmon pen culture may have with existing maritime and shoreland uses.

          The department of natural resources shall investigate and identify potential sites on state-owned aquatic land for marine salmon pen culture that are aesthetically and environmentally acceptable.  The department of natural resources shall make every effort to coordinate its investigation of sites with the affected local governments, the department of fisheries, the parks and recreation commission, the department of agriculture, the department of ecology, and the aquaculture industry.  Sites which are deemed acceptable may be made available for lease to interested private aquaculturists.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     To acquire more information on environmental effects and aesthetic concerns of salmon pen culture, the department of natural resources shall make available for lease up to ten aquaculture sites for a demonstration and study of salmon pen culture practices in Washington marine waters.  The numerical maximum of ten demonstration and study salmon pen aquaculture leases shall only apply to demonstration and study site leases and shall not apply to other aquaculture site leasing.  The encouragement of demonstration sites shall not be construed to limit other sites from being leased for commercial aquaculture.  The demonstration and study sites shall represent a variety of marine conditions in order to acquire the maximum amount of useful data on the effects of salmon pen culture.  The demonstration and study site leases shall be of sufficient size to accommodate full-sized production salmon farms and shall be closely monitored by state agencies.  The department of natural resources shall fully explore the feasibility of involving students and professors from the state's research universities in this study.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act are each added to chapter 79.90 RCW.