H-1076.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE BILL 1455
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Haugen, Wilson, Zellinsky, R. King, Spanel, R. Meyers, Leonard and Orr.
Read first time January 30, 1991. Referred to Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife.
AN ACT Relating to seaweed; amending RCW 79.68.080; and adding a new chapter to Title 75 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that the plant resources of marine aquatic ecosystems have inherent value and provide essential habitat. These resources are also becoming increasingly valuable as economic commodities. The legislature further finds that the overharvest of these plant resources would be detrimental to the marine environment.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definition in this section applies throughout this chapter.
"Seaweed" means those plant species in the classes Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, and Rhodophyta as specified and classified by rule of the director.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The department shall preserve, protect, and regulate the taking of seaweed within the boundaries of the state and in its offshore waters. The department shall not allow the harvesting of seaweed unless it finds that such harvesting will have no detrimental effect on habitat or marine ecosystems. Consistent with the protection of seaweed as habitat, the department may authorize the harvesting of seaweed.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The director may adopt, amend, or repeal rules as follows:
(1) Specifying the time when the harvest of seaweed is lawful or unlawful;
(2) Specifying the areas and waters in which the harvest of seaweed is lawful or unlawful;
(3) Regulating the possession of seaweed within the state;
(4) Regulating the quantities of seaweed that may be taken, possessed, sold, or disposed of;
(5) Classifying species of seaweed;
(6) Specifying the statistical and biological reports required from seaweed harvesters, dealers, or processors of seaweed; and
(7) Specifying the annual fee for a personal use seaweed license, which shall reflect the cost of administering and regulating the recreational seaweed harvest.
Sec. 5. RCW 79.68.080 and 1971 ex.s. c 234 s 8 are each amended to read as follows:
The department of natural resources shall foster the commercial and recreational use of the aquatic environment for production of food, fibre, income, and public enjoyment from state-owned aquatic lands under its jurisdiction and from associated waters, and to this end the department may develop and improve production and harvesting of seaweeds and sealife attached to or growing on aquatic land or contained in aquaculture containers, but nothing in this section shall alter the responsibility of other state agencies for their normal management of fish, shellfish, seaweed, game, and water.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. Sections 1 through 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 75 RCW.