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                               SENATE BILL 5157 - CC

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State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senators Owen, Drew, Sutherland, Hargrove, Oke and Haugen

Read first time 01/12/95.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

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 naturally spawned salmon should be afforded additional protection.  A program of selective recreational harvest shall be developed utilizing:  Hatchery salmon that are externally marked in a conspicuous manner; regulations that allow for the unharmed release of unmarked fish; and a public information program that educates the public about the need to protect naturally spawned salmon.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The department shall mark yearling 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 natural and hatchery reproduction.

     The department shall mark all yearling chinook 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 recreational fishers.

     The department shall strive to mark as many zero-aged chinook salmon as possible in a similar manner as the yearling coho and yearling chinook, based on feasibility studies conducted by the department.

     The goal of the marking program is the marking of all appropriate hatchery origin chinook and coho salmon produced by the department at the earliest possible date.  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 recreational 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 naturally spawned chinook and coho salmon.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  The department shall adopt rules to regulate the mixed stock recreational fisheries of the state to limit the taking of chinook and coho salmon to hatchery origin fish only, and to develop rules that will allow the maximum survival of naturally spawned salmon, minimize hooking mortality, allow for spatially separated fisheries that target on hatchery stocks, foster the best techniques for releasing naturally spawned salmon, and contribute to the economic viability of the recreational fishing businesses of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  The department shall not authorize commercial fisheries for chinook salmon or coho salmon in mixed stock areas or in areas that will result in significant harvest of naturally spawned chinook salmon or coho salmon.  Development and testing of selective commercial harvest methods should be conducted as soon as possible with the goal being to shift the commercial salmon fishery away from nonselective methods to selective harvest methods in the near future.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  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. 6.  Sections 1 through 4 of this act are each added to Title 75 RCW.

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