Passed by the House April 20, 2009 Yeas 98 Nays 0 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate April 16, 2009 Yeas 49 Nays 0 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate		CERTIFICATE I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1516 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk
Approved May 6, 2009, 1:51 p.m. CHRISTINE GREGOIRE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington		FILED May 8, 2009 Secretary of State State of Washington

AN ACT Relating to recovering gear used in the coastal Dungeness crab fisheries; amending RCW 63.21.080; adding a new section to chapter 77.70 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 77.70 RCW to read as follows:
     (1)(a) As part of a coastal commercial Dungeness crab pot removal program, the department shall issue a crab pot removal permit that allows the participants in the Dungeness crab-coastal fishery created in RCW 77.70.280 to remove crab pots belonging to state commercial licensed crab fisheries from coastal marine waters after the close of the primary commercial Dungeness crab-coastal harvest season, regardless of whether the crab pot was originally set by the participant or not.
     (b) Beginning fifteen days after the close of the primary commercial Dungeness crab-coastal harvest season, any individual with a current commercial Dungeness crab-coastal license and a valid crab pot removal permit issued by the department may remove a crab pot or crab pots used to harvest Dungeness crabs remaining in coastal marine waters after the close of the primary commercial Dungeness crab-coastal harvest season.
     (c) In cooperation with individuals with a current commercial Dungeness crab-coastal license, the department may expand the coastal commercial Dungeness crab pot removal program to those areas closed to commercial Dungeness crab harvest prior to the end of the primary season.
     (d) Nothing in this section prohibits the department from exempting certain crab pots from the coastal commercial Dungeness crab pot removal program or from restricting crab pot removal activities to specific geographic areas.
     (e) The department may adopt rules to implement this subsection (1).
     (2) An individual participating in permitted crab pot removal activities in coastal marine waters who has a valid crab pot removal permit, and who adheres to the provisions of the permit as they relate to crab pot removal, is exempt from complying with the lost and found property provisions in chapter 63.21 RCW. The individual who removes the crab pot under a valid crab pot removal permit takes the property free and clear of all claims of the owner or previous holder and free and clear of all individuals claiming ownership under the previous owner.
     (3)(a) A person is guilty of unlawful use of a crab pot removal permit if the person:
     (i) Violates any terms or conditions of the permit issued under this section; or
     (ii) Violates any rule of the department applicable to the requirement for, issuance of, or use of the permit.
     (b) Unlawful use of a crab pot removal permit is a misdemeanor.

Sec. 2   RCW 63.21.080 and 1994 c 51 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:
     This chapter shall not apply to:
     (1) Motor vehicles under chapter 46.52 RCW;
     (2) Unclaimed property in the hands of a bailee under chapter 63.24 RCW;
     (3) Uniform disposition of unclaimed property under chapter 63.29 RCW; ((~~and~~))
     (4) Secured vessels under chapter ((~~88.27~~)) 79A.65 RCW; and
     (5) Crab pots in coastal marine waters under section 1 of this act.