Title: An act relating to short-term fishing licenses.

Brief Description: Providing for temporary combination fishing licenses.

Sponsors: Senators Jacobsen, Swecker, Oke, Hargrove, Fraser, Morton, Rasmussen and Shin; by request of Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 2/21/05, 2/23/05 [DP-WM].

Ways & Means: 3/4/05, 3/7/05 [DP, DNP, w/oRec].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION

Majority Report: Do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair; Oke, Ranking Minority Member; Fraser, Hargrove, Morton, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff: Curt Gavigan (786-7437)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Prentice, Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair; Fraser, Vice Chair; Fairley, Kohl-Welles, Pflug, Pridemore, Rasmussen, Regala, Rockefeller, Schoesler and Thibaudeau.

Minority Report: Do not pass.Signed by Senators Zarelli, Ranking Minority Member; Brandland, Hewitt and Roach.

Minority Report: That it be referred without recommendation.Signed by Senator Parlette.

Staff: Kirstan Arestad (786-7708)

Background: The Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) manages the recreational harvest of fish and the licensing of recreational fishers. A personal use saltwater, freshwater, combination, or temporary license is required for all persons 15 years of age or older to fish for or possess fish taken for personal use from state or offshore waters. A temporary fishing license costs $6 and is valid for two consecutive days. An annual combination license allows a person to fish for or possess fish, shellfish, and seaweed from state waters or offshore waters. Fees for annual combination licenses are $36 for residents and $72 for nonresidents. The Fish and Wildlife Commission may set transaction fees on the sale of recreational licenses and stamps issued through the automated license system.

The WDFW currently requires recreational fishers to report their harvest activity on catch record cards for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, and Dungeness crab. Catch record cards are provided free with the purchase of a license, except for Dungeness crab harvested in Puget Sound. A catch record card endorsed for Dungeness crab is required for Puget Sound recreational fishers to take or possess Dungeness crab, with a cost not to exceed $3. A catch record card issued with a temporary short-term charter stamp is valid for two days.

Summary of Bill: Temporary combination fishing licenses are established for residents and nonresidents. The fees for the temporary licenses are as follows:

Number of Days	Resident	Nonresident
1	$7	$14
2	$10	$20
3	$13	$26
4	$15	$30
5	$17	$34
1 Day Charter	$7	$7

Charter stamps, which are valid for a one day charter license, are $7 for residents and non-residents. A transaction fee to support the automated licensing system will be taken from the amount of each temporary license. A catch record card for Dungeness crab, when purchased for a temporary fishing license, must cost no more than $1. Catch record cards issued with charter stamps are valid for one day.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Available.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Effective Date: Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For: This proposal was developed with public input and received a favorable response as long as new revenues were available for the WDFW to manage fish and wildlife resources. By providing additional license types, consumers have more choices, and the WDFW can offer different rates for residents and nonresidents. By increasing revenues to the Wildlife Fund, the WDFW can maintain its current programs. Without additional revenues, reductions will need to be made to the Wildife Fund to balance the account. The charter industry supports the bill because it maintains the simplicity of sale that is necessary to accommodate the charter fleet.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Jim Lux, Department of Fish and Wildlife; Mark Cedengneen, Westport Charter Association.