H-0456.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 1228

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Representatives Hatfield, Cairnes, Doumit, Eickmeyer, Kessler, G. Chandler, Sump and Schoesler

Read first time 01/19/1999.  Referred to Committee on Natural Resources.

Requiring the department of fish and wildlife to include a non-Indian observer in any negotiation with treaty Indian fishers or harvesters.

    AN ACT Relating to department of fish and wildlife negotiations; adding a new section to chapter 75.08 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that:

    (1) The department of fish and wildlife is mandated by RCW 75.08.012 to promote, enhance, and improve recreational and commercial fishing in this state;

    (2) This mandate applies to all biological aquatic resources whether fish, shellfish, or other forms of harvestable aquatic life;

    (3) This mandate requires the consideration and representation of all those who might wish to harvest biological aquatic resources, including nontreaty, non-Indian fishers and harvesters; and

    (4) The department has failed to adequately represent the interests of nontreaty, non-Indian fishers and harvesters when the department has dealt with treaty Indian fishers and harvesters.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:

    Whenever the department of fish and wildlife engages in any sort of negotiation or agreement with treaty Indian fishers or harvesters, the department of fish and wildlife shall include, to serve as an observer only, a representative of nontreaty, non-Indian fishers or harvesters from each user group potentially affected by the agreement or negotiation, on a case-by-case basis, for each biological aquatic resource involved with a harvest agreement or negotiation.

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