S-1130.2          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5157

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Drew, Sutherland, Hargrove, Oke and Haugen)

Read first time 02/13/95.

Providing for conspicuous external marking of hatchery produced chinook salmon and coho salmon.

     AN ACT Relating to conspicuous external marking of hatchery produced chinook salmon and coho salmon; adding new sections to Title 75 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature declares that the state has a vital interest in the continuation of recreational fisheries for chinook salmon and coho salmon in mixed stock areas, and that the harvest of hatchery origin salmon should be encouraged while wild salmon should be afforded additional protection when required.  A program of selective harvest shall be developed utilizing hatchery salmon that are externally marked in a conspicuous manner, regulations that promote the unharmed release of unmarked fish, when and where appropriate, and a public information program that educates the public about the need to protect depressed stocks of wild salmon.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The department shall mark appropriate coho salmon that are released from department operated hatcheries and rearing ponds in such a manner that the fish are externally recognizable as hatchery origin salmon by fishers for the purpose of maximized catch while sustaining wild and hatchery reproduction.

     The department shall mark all appropriate chinook salmon targeted for contribution to the Washington catch that are released from department operated hatcheries and rearing ponds in such a manner that the fish are externally recognizable as hatchery origin salmon by fishers.

     The goal of the marking program is the annual marking by June 30, 1997, of all appropriate hatchery origin chinook and coho salmon produced by the department with marking to begin with the 1994 Puget Sound coho brood.  The department may experiment with different methods for marking hatchery salmon with the primary objective of maximum survival of hatchery marked fish, maximum contribution to fisheries, and minimum cost consistent with the other goals.

     The department shall coordinate with other entities that are producing hatchery chinook and coho salmon for release into public waters to enable the broadest application of the marking program to all hatchery produced chinook and coho salmon.  The ultimate goal of the program is the coast-wide marking of appropriate hatchery origin chinook and coho salmon, and the protection of all wild chinook and coho salmon, where appropriate.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The department shall adopt rules to control the mixed stock chinook and coho fisheries of the state so as to sustain healthy stocks of wild salmon, allow the maximum survival of wild salmon, allow for spatially separated fisheries that target on hatchery stocks, foster the best techniques for releasing wild chinook and coho salmon, and contribute to the economic viability of the fishing businesses of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  The sum of five million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1997, from the general fund to the department of fish and wildlife for the purposes of section 2 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to Title 75 RCW.

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