6118-S AMH FEP H5220.3

SSB 6118 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Fisheries, Ecology & Parks

NOT ADOPTED 03/04/2004

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The department of fish and wildlife, in cooperation and collaboration with the county legislative authorities of Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille, Chelan, and Okanogan counties, shall recommend rules to establish a three-year pilot program, beginning September 2004, within select game management units of these counties, to pursue or kill cougars with the aid of dogs. A pursuit season and a kill season with the aid of dogs must be established through the fish and wildlife commission's rule-making process, utilizing local dangerous wildlife task teams comprised of the two collaborating authorities. The two collaborating authorities shall also develop a more effective and accurate dangerous wildlife reporting system to ensure a timely response. The pilot program's primary goals are to provide for public safety, to protect property, and to assess cougar populations.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. After July 1, 2004, a county legislative authority may request inclusion in the pilot project authorized by this act after taking the following actions:

(1) Adopting a resolution that requests inclusion in the pilot project;

(2) Documenting the need to participate in the pilot program by identifying the number of cougar/human encounters and livestock and pet depredations; and

(3) Demonstrating that existing cougar depredation permits, public safety cougar hunts, or other existing wildlife management tools have not been sufficient to deal with cougar incidents in the county."

Correct the title.

EFFECT: Authorizes any county legislative authority to request inclusion in the three-year cougar pilot project by documenting needs and showing that current programs are ineffective in controlling the problem. Directs the Fish and Wildlife Department, not the Commission, in cooperation with county legislative authorities, to recommend rules to establish the pilot program.

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