BILL REQ. #:  H-2438.2 

Read first time .   Referred to .

     AN ACT Relating to the Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement fee; amending RCW 77.32.430; adding a new section to chapter 77.32 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.70 RCW; creating a new section; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that the recreational fishing community agreed to self tax itself in 2004 regarding the Dungeness crab fishery in Puget Sound in order to assist the department of fish and wildlife in increasing the accuracy in the harvest estimates. Recreational fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in the state of Washington. The legislature finds that Dungeness crab fishing is a major component of the recreational fishing experience in Puget Sound and the opportunity for quality recreational fisheries has steadily declined partially due to the continued inaccuracy of harvest estimates and a lack of timely receipt of harvest estimate data. The legislature further finds that the department of fish and wildlife has chosen to impose restrictions on the recreational crab fishery in Puget Sound rather than to focus on the problem of improving data accuracy and timeliness of obtaining that data. Thus, the legislature finds that a reduction in the endorsement fee collected by the department of fish and wildlife is necessary to maintain a reasonable fee amount for the level of opportunity provided.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 77.32 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A license to take and possess Dungeness crab is only valid in Puget Sound east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line if the fisher has in possession a valid catch record card officially endorsed for Dungeness crab. The endorsement costs one dollar and fifty cents, including any fees authorized under RCW 77.32.050, and deposited into the recreational Dungeness crab endorsement account created in section 3 of this act.
     (2) Catch record cards issued with affixed temporary short-term charter stamp licenses are not subject to the Dungeness crab endorsement fee provided for in this section.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 77.70 RCW to read as follows:
     The recreational Dungeness crab endorsement account is created in the state treasury. All receipts from section 3 of this act must be deposited into the account. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation. Expenditures from the account may be used only for costs associated with the sampling, monitoring, and management of catch associated with the Dungeness crab recreational fisheries. Moneys appropriated under this section must supplement and not supplant other federal, state, and local funds used for Dungeness crab recreational fisheries management. Under no circumstances may moneys from the account be used to backfill shortfalls in other state funding sources.

Sec. 4   RCW 77.32.430 and 2004 c 107 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Catch record card information is necessary for proper management of the state's food fish and game fish species and shellfish resources. Catch record card administration shall be under rules adopted by the commission. There is no charge for an initial catch record card. Each subsequent or duplicate catch record card costs ten dollars.
     (2) ((A license to take and possess Dungeness crab is only valid in Puget Sound waters east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line if the fisher has in possession a valid catch record card officially endorsed for Dungeness crab. The endorsement shall cost no more than three dollars including any or all fees authorized under RCW 77.32.050.
     (3))) Catch record cards issued with affixed temporary short-term charter stamp licenses are not subject to the ten-dollar charge ((nor to the Dungeness crab endorsement fee)) provided for in this section. Charter boat or guide operators issuing temporary short-term charter stamp licenses shall affix the stamp to each catch record card issued before fishing commences. Catch record cards issued with a temporary short-term charter stamp are valid for two consecutive days.
     (((4))) (3) The department shall include provisions for recording marked and unmarked salmon in catch record cards issued after March 31, 2004.
     (((5))) (4) The funds received from the sale of catch record cards ((and the Dungeness crab endorsement)) must be deposited into the wildlife fund. ((The funds received from the Dungeness crab endorsement may be used only for the sampling, monitoring, and management of catch associated with the Dungeness crab recreational fisheries. Moneys allocated under this section shall supplement and not supplant other federal, state, and local funds used for Dungeness crab recreational fisheries management.))

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately.