HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1226

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to salmon charter licenses.

Brief Description:  Authorizing shellfish to be taken under a salmon charter license.

Sponsors:  Representatives Buck, Basich, Fuhrman and Kessler; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

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

  Floor Activity:

     Passed House:  3/7/95, 96-0.

Passed Legislature.

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:  A charter boat is defined as a boat from which people can, for a fee, fish for food fish or shellfish for personal use.  There are two kinds of charter boats:  salmon charter boats and nonsalmon charter boats.  Passengers on salmon charter boats are allowed to fish for salmon and other food fish.  Passengers on nonsalmon charter boats may fish for other food fish or shellfish but not for salmon.

Current law precludes people from fishing for shellfish from a salmon charter boat.

Summary of Bill:  Statute is amended to provide that a salmon charter boat license allows for the taking of shellfish in addition to salmon and other food fish.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on January 26, 1995.

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

Testimony For:  The department would like to authorize the taking of shellfish for salmon charter boats.  Charter boat fishing is just about dead.  They need every bit of help they can get to help them survive until salmon start coming back.  People are considering the shellfish option.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Mark Cedargreen, Westport Charter Association; and Cyreis Schmitt, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (both in favor).