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 crab Puget Sound fishery licenses.

Sponsors: Senators Spanel and Brandland.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation: 2/21/05, 2/24/05 [DPS].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES, OCEAN & RECREATION

Majority Report: That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5765 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.Signed by Senators Jacobsen, Chair; Doumit, Vice Chair; Oke, Ranking Minority Member; Fraser, Hargrove, Morton, Spanel and Swecker.

Staff: Vic Moon (786-7469)

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

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill: Language which would confuse the enforcement of the statute is removed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

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

Testimony For: Allowing two fishers on one vessel will save fuel. Three fishing license holders would also be a good policy.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Joe Verdos, Tom Carlson, Puget Sound fishers; Morris Barker, Department of Fish and Wildlife.