H-4271.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2946

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      55th Legislature     1998 Regular Session

By Representative McCune

Read first time 01/23/98.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Adding labeling requirements for the retail or wholesale sale of certain food fish.

    AN ACT Relating to salmon labeling for human consumption; amending RCW 69.04.934; adding a new section to chapter 69.04 RCW; and providing and effective date.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 69.04.934 and 1993 c 282 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    With the exception of a commercial fisher engaged in sales of fish to a fish buyer, no person may sell at wholesale or retail any fresh or frozen:

    (1) Private sector cultured aquatic salmon without identifying the product as farm-raised salmon and the state, province, or foreign country where it was farm raised; or

    (2) Commercially caught salmon designated as food fish under Title 75 RCW without identifying the ((product as commercially caught)) species of salmon by its common name as defined in Title 75 RCW and the state, province, foreign country, or waterbody where it was commercially caught.

    Identification of the products under subsections (1) and (2) of this section shall be made to the buyer at the point of sale such that the buyer can make an informed decision in purchasing.

    A person knowingly violating this section is guilty of misbranding under this chapter.  A person who receives misleading or erroneous information about whether the salmon is farm-raised or commercially caught, and subsequently inaccurately identifies salmon shall not be guilty of misbranding.  This section shall not apply to salmon that is minced, pulverized, coated with batter, or breaded.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 69.04 RCW to read as follows:

    It is unlawful for any person to sell at retail or display for sale at retail any salmon as defined in RCW 75.08.011, without having the package or container in which the salmon is sold bear a label clearly discernible to a customer identifying the species of salmon by its common name.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  This act takes effect July 1, 1998.

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