SENATE BILL REPORT

                                   SHB 1416

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES,

                                 APRIL 4, 1991

Brief Description:  Establishing a plan for mitigation requirements if game fish habitat is impaired.

SPONSORS:House Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife (originally sponsored by Representatives R. King, Fuhrman, Hochstatter, Padden, Basich, Morris, Dorn, R. Meyers and Winsley).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Oke, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Owen, Patterson, Snyder, and Sutherland. 

Staff:  Vic Moon (786‑7469)

Hearing Dates:March 21, 1991; April 4, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Fish and wildlife are protected under various state and federal habitat protection laws.

The Department of Wildlife can require or recommend mitigation or conditions on a variety of permits and licenses, for the purpose of wildlife protection.  An example would be that the department recommends mitigation to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for hydroelectric projects and under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act for Army Corps of Engineers or that Bureau of Reclamation projects include a game fish stocking component. 

SUMMARY:

Where the Department of Wildlife is recommending or requiring game fish stocking as a condition of an environmental permit or license, then the department shall specify the pounds, numbers, species, stock and/or race of resident game fish that shall be provided.  The Department of Wildlife shall allow the permittee or licensee to purchase fish that meet these requirements from private aquatic farmers in Washington for stocking. Any state or federal agency, branch of state government, political subdivision of the state, private or public utility company, corporation, or sports group may purchase game fish for stocking from an aquatic farmer.  Fish stocking is subject to all permit requirements of the Department of Wildlife.

Appropriations:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED SENATE AMENDMENT:

A sunset provision is added to the bill.

TESTIMONY FOR:

This procedure will help fish mitigation, the department and private industry.  A similar law allows the Department of Fisheries to use this procedure.  The procedure will save public funds by providing fish at less cost.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

It is a contracting out to the private sector and all fish rearing should be done by state employees.

TESTIFIED:  Pam Matson, Dept. of Wildlife (pro); Jim Zimmerman, Troutlodge (pro); Mark Brown, Federation of State Employees (con)