H-4802.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2605

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

By House Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Linville, Fuhrman, L. Thomas, Thompson, Regala, Basich, Quall, Hatfield, B. Thomas, Stevens, Sheldon and Buck)

Read first time 02/02/96.

Allowing importation of Macrocystis seaweed for the use in the herring spawn-on-kelp fishery.

    AN ACT Relating to importation of Macrocystis seaweed; and amending RCW 79.01.805.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 79.01.805 and 1994 c 286 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) The maximum daily wet weight harvest or possession of seaweed for personal use from all aquatic lands as defined under RCW 79.90.010 and all privately owned tidelands is ten pounds per person.  The department of natural resources in cooperation with the department of fish and wildlife may establish seaweed harvest limits of less than ten pounds for conservation purposes.  This section shall in no way affect the ability of any state agency to prevent harvest of any species of marine aquatic plant from lands under its control, ownership, or management.

    (2) Except as provided under subsection (3) of this section, commercial harvesting of seaweed from aquatic lands as defined under RCW 79.90.010, and all privately owned tidelands is prohibited.  This subsection shall in no way affect commercial seaweed aquaculture.

    (3) Upon mutual approval by the department and the department of fish and wildlife, seaweed species of the genus Macrocystis may be commercially harvested for use in the herring spawn-on-kelp fishery.

    (4) ((Seaweed species of the genus Macrocystis may not be imported after July 1, 1995, for use in the herring spawn-on-kelp fishery.)) Importation of seaweed species of the genus Macrocystis into Washington state for the herring spawn-on-kelp fishery is subject to the fish and shellfish disease control policies of the department of fish and wildlife.  Macrocystis shall not be imported from areas with fish or shellfish diseases associated with organisms that are likely to be transported with Macrocystis.  The department shall incorporate this policy on Macrocystis importation into its overall fish and shellfish disease control policies.

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