SENATE BILL REPORT

                           ESHB 1940

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, FEBRUARY 25, 1994

Brief Description:  Establishing fishing guide licenses for Oregon residents.

SPONSORS: House Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife (originally sponsored by Representatives Orr, King, Springer and Morris)

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass. 

     Signed by Senators Owen, Chairman; Hargrove, Vice Chairman; Erwin, Franklin, Haugen, Oke, Sellar, Snyder and Spanel.

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786‑7413)

Hearing Dates:  February 22, 1994; February 25, 1994

BACKGROUND:

During the 1993 legislative session, the states of Oregon and Idaho enacted legislation affecting Washington's fishing guides.  Oregon raised its nonresident guide license fees for Washington residents to levels equivalent to Washington's nonresident guide fees.  The increase was from $50 to $1,254.

Oregon and Idaho established guide license reciprocity on the Columbia and Snake Rivers, respectively, on the condition that the state of Washington adopt comparable liability insurance and first aid training requirements for fishing guides to the requirements in Oregon and Idaho.

Under current Washington law, a salmon guide license is required by the Department of Fisheries for a guide in freshwater rivers and streams, other than in that part of the Columbia River below the bridge at Longview.  A fishing guide license is required by the Department of Wildlife for game fish guiding.  Currently, Washington salmon and fishing guides are subject only to a licensing fee.  The fee for a fishing guide license is $180 for a resident and $600 for a nonresident.  The fee for a salmon guide license is $130 for a resident and $630 for a nonresident.

SUMMARY:

New requirements are established for fishing guides for game fish and salmon, and are administered by the Department of Fish and Wildlife.  These include:  a current first aid certification, a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification, and liability insurance coverage of a minimum of $300,000 per claim.  Failure to comply with these licensing requirements constitutes a gross misdemeanor.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is directed to issue a single license document for guides for game fish or salmon.

The nonresident guide fee for fishing guides is reduced from $600 to $180.  The nonresident salmon guide fee is reduced from $630 to $130.  Reciprocity is established with Oregon and Idaho for game fish guide licenses.

Charterboat license holders are authorized to designate up to six additional operators.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available

Effective Date:  January 1, 1995

TESTIMONY FOR:

Salmon and steelhead guides should have first aid training and liability insurance.  Charter boats should be allowed to have up to six additional operators.  Nonresident guide license fees should be comparable to Oregon.

TESTIMONY AGAINST:  None

TESTIFIED:  PRO:  Herbert Shepard, Charter Boat Assn. of Puget Sound; William Aldrich, Edmonds Charter Assn.; Cyreis Schmitt, Lesley Brines, WDF/WDW