HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1772

As Amended by the Senate

BYRepresentatives Spanel, S. Wilson, Haugen and R. King; by request of  Department of Fisheries

Renaming and defining certain species of fish.

House Committe on Fisheries & Wildlife

Majority Report:  Do pass.  (10)

      Signed by Representatives R. King, Chair; Morris, Vice Chair; S. Wilson, Ranking Republican Member; Basich, Bowman, Brooks, Cole, Haugen, Smith and Spanel.

House Staff:Pamela Madson (786-7310)

AS PASSED HOUSE MARCH 6, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Fisheries has jurisdiction over three broad classes of fish that include salmon and trout.  Fish under the jurisdiction of the Department of Fisheries can be commercially caught and sold.  Certain species of anadromous fish are defined as game fish which removes them from the Department of Fisheries' jurisdiction and places them under the Department of Wildlife. Game fish cannot be commercially caught and sold.

Atlantic salmon are defined as game fish.  They are an anadromous fish species commonly grown by aquaculturists in salmon net pens and are present in marine waters.  Fish escape from the pens and can become part of the marine water harvest and are incidentally caught by commercial fishers but cannot be sold.

The American Fisheries Society has updated the recognized scientific naming of some fish species.  The designations of these species in current statute do not reflect these changes.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Fisheries has jurisdiction over all species that include salmon except for those classified as game fish.  The Atlantic salmon species is a game fish in its landlocked form, and as such, comes under the jurisdiction of the Department of Wildlife which prohibits commercial sale of this species.  In any other form, Atlantic salmon is a food fish coming under the jurisdiction of the Department of Fisheries and can be caught and sold commercially.

The scientific name of cutthroat, golden, and steelhead trout is changed to conform to the nationally recognized and updated terminology.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENTS:  It is unlawful to label food fish products (as defined in this act) other than by the correct species if the species used in the product has been identified in the list of common and scientific names of fishes in the U.S.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Loren Stern, Washington Department of Fisheries; Paul Mongillo, Washington Department of Wildlife; and Don Sobjack, Puget Sound Gillnetters Association.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The update of scientific names makes Washington law consistent with currently accepted terminology.  Atlantic salmon being classified as game fish cannot be sold commercially.  Some fishers find that a buyer will not accept the fish while others accept them and count them as a different species.  The Department of Fisheries is not collecting data on the numbers of these fish that are part of the commercial catch because this species is not classified as a food fish.  If Atlantic salmon caught in the saltwater fishery could be sold as a food fish, they would be subject to the enhanced food fish tax.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 96; Excused 2

Excused:    Representatives Appelwick and Ebersole.