H-2251.1          _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4410

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State of Washington              52nd Legislature             1991 Regular Session

By House Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife (originally sponsored by Representatives R. King, Wilson, Morris, D. Sommers, Winsley, Horn, H. Myers, Nelson and Orr).

Read first time March 6, 1991.  Establishing a joint select committee on salmon and steelhead recovery.

     WHEREAS, There were five petitions filed early in 1990 to have five salmon populations in the Columbia river drainage listed under the provisions of the federal endangered species act; and

     WHEREAS, The decline of the five salmon populations is due to a variety of factors, including low flows, insufficient habitat, hatchery stock management, and fishing; and

     WHEREAS, Interested and affected parties are attempting to develop a plan to recover these salmon populations; and

     WHEREAS, There may be over fifty other populations of salmon and steelhead in Washington that are in danger of extinction;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the state of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a joint select committee on salmon and steelhead recovery be established to review the status of salmon and steelhead populations in Washington, to determine the reasons for decline of populations, to make recommendations for action needed to recover each population in Washington, and to determine the feasibility of using dislocated timber workers for any recommended habitat enhancement; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of eight members, two members from the house of representatives committee on fisheries and wildlife and two members from the house of representatives committee on natural resources, to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and four members from the senate committee on environment and natural resources, to be appointed by the president of the senate; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select committee shall request advice and information from the public and private sectors, to include at a minimum, representatives from the following: Department of wildlife, department of fisheries, department of natural resources, department of agriculture, employment security department, American fisheries society, Indian tribes, commercial fishing community, recreational fishing community, Northwest power planning council, environmental community, timber industry, agricultural industry, organized labor, economic development associations, and utility companies; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the joint select committee shall use legislative staff and facilities, but may hire additional staff with specific technical expertise if such expertise is necessary to carry out the mandates of this resolution.  All expenses of the committee, including travel, shall be paid jointly by the senate and the house of representatives; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 1991; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall expire July 1, 1992.