Brief Description: Concerning coastal crab fisheries licenses.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation (originally sponsored by Senators Doumit, Oke, Jacobsen, Schoesler and Delvin).

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

Background: Current statutory provisions set certain length restrictions on the ability of a coastal crab fishery license holder to designate vessels for use under a license. A license holder may not change designation to a vessel whose hull length exceeds 99 feet. A license holder may not change designation to a vessel that exceeds the length of the currently designated vessel by more than 10 feet. A license holder may generally change designation to a vessel comparable in size, or up to one foot longer than the currently designated vessel, no more than once in any two consecutive coastal crab seasons. Additionally, a license holder may generally change designation to a vessel between one and 10 feet longer than the currently designated vessel no more than once in any five consecutive coastal crab seasons.

Summary: A coastal crab fishery license holder may not change designation to a vessel that exceeds the vessel length designated on the license on the date this provision takes effect by more than 10 feet. However, if a designation is the result of an emergency transfer, the applicable vessel length would be the most recent permanent vessel designation on the license prior to the effective date of this provision.

A license holder may generally change designation to a vessel between one and 10 feet longer than the designated vessel on the effective date of this provision no more than once.

Vessel hull length means the length overall of a vessel's hull as shown by marine survey or manufacturer's specifications.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife must, by December 31, 2010, in cooperation with the coastal crab fishing industry, evaluate the effectiveness of this provision.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      44   0
House      97   0   (House amended)
Senate      43   0   (Senate concurred)

Effective: June 7, 2006