SENATE BILL REPORT

SHB 2431

As Reported By Senate Committee On:

Parks, Fish & Wildlife, February 24, 2004

Ways & Means, March 1, 2004

Title: An act relating to Dungeness crab endorsement.

Brief Description: Modifying Dungeness crab management provisions.

Sponsors: House Committee on Fisheries, Ecology & Parks (originally sponsored by Representatives Upthegrove, Cooper and Chase).

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Parks, Fish & Wildlife: 2/23/04, 2/24/04 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means: 3/1/04 [DPA].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON PARKS, FISH & WILDLIFE

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

      Signed by Senators Oke, Chair; Sheahan, Vice Chair; Doumit, Jacobsen, Morton, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff: Kari Guy (786-7437)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: Do pass as amended.

      Signed by Senators Hewitt, Vice Chair; Parlette, Vice Chair; Carlson, Doumit, Fairley, Fraser, Pflug, Prentice, Rasmussen, Regala, Sheahan, B. Sheldon and Winsley.

Staff: Brian Sims (786-7431)

Background: A personal use shellfish and seaweed license or a two-day combination license is required for all persons to fish for or take shellfish, seaweed, or crab.

Catch record cards are required under rule of the Fish and Wildlife Commission for certain species, to provide information necessary to manage the fisheries. There is no charge for the initial catch record card, and a fee of $10 for each subsequent card.

A person fishing for Dungeness crab must report the catch on a catch record card. A catch record card may be provided to all people purchasing a shellfish and seaweed license, even if they do not plan to harvest Dungeness crab. Since the shellfish license is issued to people fishing for shellfish or seaweed in addition to crab, the Department of Fish and Wildlife is unable to sample only Dungeness crab recreational fishers when estimating catch.

Summary of Amended Bill: A license to take Dungeness crab in Puget Sound is only valid if the person has a Dungeness crab endorsement on the catch record card. The endorsement may not cost more than $3, including transaction and dealer fees.

Funds from the Dungeness crab endorsement must be used by the department only for the sampling, monitoring, and management of Dungeness crab recreational fishery. After the Dungeness crab endorsement is in place for one season, the Department of Fish and Wildlife shall evaluate the effectiveness of the endorsement fee as a method for improving the accuracy of catch estimates, and provide a report to the Legislature.

Amended Bill Compared to Substitute Bill: The effective date is changed to May 15, 2004.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect on May 15, 2004.

Testimony For: Mid-season estimates of the recreational crab catch were inaccurate last year, causing a reduction in the commercial catch. This separate endorsement will allow WDFW to improve the accuracy of recreational crab catch estimates.

Concern: The bill should go further, and require a manual count of all catch record cards, and have an immediate effective date.

Testimony Against: None.

Testified: PRO: Rep. Upthegrove, prime sponsor; Morris Barker, WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife; Corey Freeman, NSIA; Joe Verdoes, Karen Thompson, Puget Sound Crab Assn.