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SUBSTITUTE
SENATE BILL 6313
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Passed
Legislature - 2002 Regular Session
State of Washington 57th
Legislature 2002 Regular Session
By
READ
FIRST TIME 02/04/2002.
Providing for the retrieval of derelict fishing gear.
AN
ACT Relating to derelict fishing gear; adding new sections to chapter 77.12
RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.55 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 fishing gear that is lost or abandoned may continue to
catch marine organisms long after the gear is lost. The purpose of this act is
to develop safe, effective methods to remove derelict fishing gear, eliminate
regulatory barriers to gear removal, and discourage future losses of fishing
gear.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 2. A
new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
As used in this section and section 3 of this act, "derelict fishing
gear" includes lost or abandoned fishing nets, fishing lines, crab pots,
shrimp pots, and other commercial and recreational fishing equipment. The term
does not include lost or abandoned vessels.
(2)
The department, in partnership with the Northwest straits commission, the
department of natural resources, and other interested parties, must publish
guidelines for the safe removal and disposal of derelict fishing gear. The
guidelines must be completed by August 31, 2002, and made available to any
person interested in derelict fishing gear removal.
(3)
Derelict fishing gear removal conducted in accordance with the guidelines
prepared in subsection (2) of this section is not subject to permitting under
RCW 77.55.100.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 3. A
new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
(1)
The department, in consultation with the Northwest straits commission, the
department of natural resources, and other interested parties, must create and
maintain a data base of known derelict fishing gear, including the type of gear
and its location.
(2)
A person who loses or abandons commercial fishing gear within the waters of the
state is encouraged to report the location of the loss and the type of gear
lost to the department within forty-eight hours of the loss.
(3)
The department, in consultation with fishing industry groups and tribal
comanagers, must evaluate methods to reduce future losses of fishing gear and
report the results of this evaluation to the appropriate legislative committees
by January 1, 2003.
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 4. A
new section is added to chapter 77.55 RCW to read as follows:
The
removal of derelict fishing gear does not require written approval under this
chapter if the gear is removed according to the guidelines described in section
2 of this act.
Passed the Senate February 14, 2002.
Passed the House March 5, 2002.
Approved by the Governor
March 12, 2002.
Filed
in Office of Secretary of State March 12, 2002.
