SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    SB 5666

         AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES,

                               FEBRUARY 26, 1991

Brief Description:  Protecting salmon and steelhead resources from nonendangered marine mammals.

SPONSORS:Senators Rasmussen, Metcalf, Snyder, Hansen, Patterson, Bauer, von Reichbauer, Barr and Thorsness.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5666 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Oke, Vice Chairman; Amondson, Barr, Conner, Owen, Patterson, and Snyder. 

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786‑7413)

Hearing Dates:February 25, 1991; February 26, 1991

BACKGROUND:

Seals and sea lions catch and consume steelhead trout and salmon.  Measures taken to discourage seal and sea lion predation on salmonid stocks have not been effective.

Some persons desire lethal removal of seals and sea lions which prey on salmon or steelhead.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Fisheries and the Department of Wildlife shall remove or destroy nonendangered marine mammals which prey upon salmon or steelhead.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The departments shall pursue all available options to gain authority to lethally remove marine mammals that are preying upon salmon or steelhead.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  none requested

TESTIMONY FOR:

There are too many predaceous seals and sea lions that feed on salmon or steelhead.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:

All marine mammals should be protected.

TESTIFIED:  Steve Arbaugh, VSGA (pro); Bill Jones, Wildcat Steelhead (pro); Bob Lake, Willapa Bay Gilnet (pro); Toimi Maki, Grays Harbor Gillnetters (pro); Ron Peregrin, Steve Jeffries, Department of Wildlife; Susan Markey, Department of Fisheries (con)