S-3834.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 6727
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State of Washington 57th Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By Senators Poulsen, Keiser and Prentice
Read first time 01/30/2002. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Parks & Shorelines.
AN ACT Relating to the protection of salmon spawning beds; adding a new section to chapter 77.95 RCW; and prescribing penalties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 77.95 RCW to read as follows:
(1)(a) The department must prohibit activities that harm or disturb the spawning beds of salmon during periods when nests of eggs are incubating. These activities include, but are not limited to, wading in or standing on, driving vehicles or motorized boats over, dragging of boat anchors through, digging in or removing spawning gravel, scuba diving, or any other physical disturbance of the salmon spawning beds.
(b) During egg incubation periods, fishing is allowed only from shore or from a nonpowered boat that is free floating or tethered to an above water appurtenance. A violation of this subsection (1)(b) is an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW and is subject to a penalty of not less than one hundred dollars per violation.
(2) The department must adopt rules to implement subsection (1) of this section and must include the information in brochures that are normally disseminated to persons applying for hunting, fishing, and boating licenses in retail outlets that cater to outdoor recreation.
(3) The department, at its discretion, may allow specific activities such as bridge construction and repair, flood control, bank restoration, and other necessary activities. The department may also allow specified recreational activities, such as swimming and wading in specified areas such as forest service camps, public parks, and private resorts.
(4) The department must work cooperatively with native American tribal comanagers for fish resources in implementing and enforcing the requirements of this section.
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