S-1557.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5343
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State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Amondson, Sutherland, Conner, Metcalf, Bauer, Hansen, Vognild, Madsen and Bailey).
Read first time February 21, 1991.
AN ACT Relating to game fish mitigation; adding a new chapter to Title 77 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature declares that the public and private propagation, production, protection, and enhancement of fish is in the public interest.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Department" means the Washington department of wildlife.
(2) "Contract" means an agreement setting at a minimum, price, quantity of fish to be delivered, time of delivery, and fish health requirements.
(3) "Fish health requirements" means those site specific fish health and genetic requirements actually used by the department of wildlife in fish stocking.
(4) "Aquatic farmer" means a private sector person who commercially farms and manages private sector cultured aquatic products on the person's own land or on land in which the person has a present right of possession.
(5) "Person" means a natural person, corporation, trust, or other legal entity.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. If the department requires, pursuant to its authority relative to environmental permits or licenses, that resident hatchery game fish be stocked by the permittee or licensee for mitigation of environmental damage, the department shall specify the pounds or numbers, species, stock, and/or race of resident game fish that are to be provided. The department shall offer the permittee or licensee the option of purchasing under contract from aquatic farmers in Washington, those game fish, unless the fish specified by the department are not available from Washington growers.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. Any agency of state or federal government, political subdivision of the state, private or public utility company, corporation, or sports group, or any purchaser of fish under section 3 of this act may purchase resident game fish from an aquatic farmer for stocking purposes if permit requirements of this title and the department have been met.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. Sections 2 through 4 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 77 RCW.