Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Natural Resources Committee

SSB 6110

Brief Description:  Providing for the administration of a Puget Sound crab pot buoy tag program.

Sponsors:  By Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines (originally sponsored by Senators Spanel, Gardner and Kohl‑Welles).

Brief Summary of Substitute Bill

$The Department of Fish and Wildlife is authorized to charge a fee to people who hold Puget Sound crab pot licenses to reimburse the department for producing Puget Sound crab pot buoy tags and the administration of a Puget Sound crab pot buoy program.

$A Puget Sound crab pot buoy tag account is created.

Hearing Date:  3/23/01

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786‑7092).

Background: 

The Puget Sound crab pot fishery is a limited entry fishery with a 100 pot limit.  All Puget Sound crab pots are required to be tagged, but no uniform system exists for the production, distribution, and monitoring of buoy tags.  A uniform system of crab pot buoy tags could help distinguish crab pots between treaty shellfish fishers, recreational fishers, and the Puget Sound crab pot commercial fishers.   Highly visible tags would also aid in the enforcement of the 100 pot limit.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife has proposed to buy the buoy tags and supply them to the crab fishing fleet, but the department does not have the authority to charge each crab fisher for the tags.

Summary of Bill: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is authorized to charge a fee to people who hold Puget Sound crab pot licenses to reimburse the department for producing Puget Sound crab pot buoy tags and the administration of a Puget Sound crab pot buoy program.

A Puget Sound crab pot buoy tag account is created in the State Treasurer=s custody.  All proceeds from the fees charged to licensees are deposited into the account, and expenditures may only be made upon authorization of the director or the director=s designee.  The account is subject to allotment reductions but no appropriation is necessary to make expenditures.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not Requested.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.