Title: An act relating to allowing two holders of Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery licenses to operate both licenses on one vessel.

Brief Description: Concerning Dungeness crabPuget Sound fishery licenses.

Sponsors: By Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Spanel and Brandland).

Brief History:

Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks: 3/18/05, 3/24/05 [DP].

Floor Activity:

Passed House: 4/5/05, 94-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, ECOLOGY & PARKS

Majority Report: Do pass. Signed by 10 members: Representatives B. Sullivan, Chair; Upthegrove, Vice Chair; Buck, Ranking Minority Member; Kretz, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Blake, DeBolt, Dickerson, Hunt, Orcutt and Williams.

Staff: Jason Callahan (786-7117).

Background:

Many types of commercial fishing licenses are issued to be used with a specific vessel. The holder of these licenses are not permitted to use the license on a vessel that is not designated on the license.

Generally, a vessel may only be used in connection with one commercial license per fishery. However, there are exceptions to this rule. A person can designate the same vessel for two licenses for the Puget Sound shrimp pot fishery, the sea cucumber and sea urchin dive fisheries, and the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery. However, the two licenses must be owned by the same person.

In the case of the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery, a person can hold two licenses for the fishery, and designate the same vessel for both licenses. Each license entitles the holder to operate up to 100 crab pots.

Summary of Bill:

For the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery only, two different individuals may designate the same vessel, and operate their license on that vessel.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This bill provides a way to reduce fixed operating costs to crab fishers. The crab industry has been looking for ways to find relief from the economic conditions brought on by overcapitalization of the crab fishery.

Testimony Against: None.

Persons Testifying: Morris Barker, Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Persons Signed In To Testify But Not Testifying: None.