Brief Description: Concerning Dungeness crab Puget Sound fishery licenses.

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

Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
House Committee on Natural Resources, Ecology & Parks

Background: The legislature directs the policy for the regulation of both commercial and recreational fishing and specific authority to set these regulations is given to the Department of Fish and Wildlife. There is a Dungeness crab fishery in Puget Sound. Crab pots are regulated and the season is set by the department. In order to use less fuel and provide for a more efficient fishery, more than one fish license holder could fish from the same vessel. This would not effect either the harvest level or the season dates.

Summary: Two persons holding a Puget Sound crab commercial licence may fish from a single vessel.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      94   0

Effective: July 24, 2005