HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1228

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Natural Resources

Title:  An act relating to game fish catch record cards.

Brief Description:  Authorizing the director of fish and wildlife to administer game fish catch record cards.

Sponsors:  Representatives L. Thomas, Basich and Fuhrman; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Natural Resources:  1/31/95, 2/3/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 15 members:  Representatives Fuhrman, Chairman; Buck, Vice Chairman; Pennington, Vice Chairman; Basich, Ranking Minority Member; Regala, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Beeksma; Cairnes; Elliot; G. Fisher; Jacobsen; Romero; Sheldon; Stevens; B. Thomas and Thompson.

Staff:  Linda Byers (786-7129).

Background:  For a number of years, steelhead fishers have been required to purchase a catch record card (sometimes referred to as a steelhead punchcard).  The fee for the catch record card was $18.  Information from the catch record card is used by the Department of Fish and Wildlife as a management tool in its game fish program.

In 1994, the Legislature took action to create a single license document for recreational hunting and fishing and to make other changes to hunting and fishing licensing provisions as the former Department of Fisheries and Department of Wildlife merged.  The Legislature also created a new steelhead fishing license, which can be purchased by a holder of a regular fishing license or a holder of the new combination hunting and fishing license.  The fee for the steelhead license is $18, intended to mirror the fee for the catch record card.  However, the legislation which created the new steelhead license did not remove the requirement for a person to purchase the $18 steelhead catch record card.

Summary of Bill:  The requirement for a steelhead fisher to purchase a catch record card is removed.  Instead, catch record cards are to be issued at no charge and are to be administered under rules adopted by the director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. 

Statutes related to the sale of catch record cards and the treatment of catch record cards as licensing documents are amended to reflect the change in administration of the cards.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 26, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This will help reduce hassle in carrying so many licenses.  It is less government red tape and more responsive to voters.  The bill corrects an oversight from previous legislation on consolidation of licenses.  This will allow the agency to use catch record cards solely as a management tool and not as a licensing document.  This will be consistent with the agency's management of other catch record cards.  There will be no cost to the agency.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  State Representative Les Thomas, prime sponsor; and Cyreis Schmitt, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (both in favor).