SENATE RESOLUTION

                         1997-8656

By Senator Morton

     WHEREAS, The Department of Fish and Wildlife serves the people of the state with one of the largest and most diverse salmon and trout hatchery programs in the world; and

     WHEREAS, The future role of salmon and trout hatchery programs is certain to be changing in response to federal endangered species act requirements, the need to develop sustainable fisheries, and the continuing challenges of variations in funding; and

     WHEREAS, The Senate of the state of Washington desires to be in the forefront of the decision-making process by exploring ways in which the public and the fisheries resource are best served by the fish hatchery program; and

     WHEREAS, The first step in achieving a full productive hatchery program is to examine the existing hatchery operation with the goal of determining which aspects are working well and which areas need improvements; and

     WHEREAS, The role of privatization of fish hatchery production also should be assessed in cases where it may prove to be more cost-effective, where it may be utilized in closed hatcheries, or in hatcheries that are not fully utilizing space or water resources; and

     WHEREAS, The potential for increasing fisheries through the utilization of fish produced by private fish farmers who lease or operate state-owned fish hatcheries that would otherwise be closed must be examined; and

     WHEREAS, The primary goal of the Department's fish hatchery program is to provide an abundant fisheries resource for the enjoyment of people who like to fish, it is likewise the goal of the Senate of the state of Washington to maximize that enjoyment;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate of the state of Washington instruct the Fish and Wildlife Commission to evaluate the operation of Department fish hatcheries and to make recommendations on the improvement of their operations to the Senate Natural Resources and Parks Committee by December 31, 1997; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1997-8656,

adopted by the Senate April 27, 1997.

MIKE O=CONNELL

Secretary of the Senate