BILL REQ. #:  H-3116.1 

Prefiled 12/20/11. Read first time 01/09/12.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to the regional management of mammalian apex predators; amending RCW 77.12.020; adding a new section to chapter 77.12 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 77.12.020 and 2002 c 281 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) The director shall investigate the habits and distribution of the various species of wildlife native to or adaptable to the habitats of the state. The commission shall determine whether a species should be managed by the department and, if so, classify it under this section.
     (2) The commission may classify by rule wild animals as game animals and game animals as fur-bearing animals.
     (3) The commission may classify by rule wild birds as game birds or predatory birds. All wild birds not otherwise classified are protected wildlife.
     (4) In addition to those species listed in RCW 77.08.020, the commission may classify by rule as game fish other species of the class Osteichthyes that are commonly found in freshwater except those classified as food fish by the director.
     (5) The director may recommend to the commission that a species of wildlife should not be hunted or fished. The commission may designate species of wildlife as protected.
     (6) If the director determines that a species of wildlife is seriously threatened with extinction in the state of Washington, the director may request its designation as an endangered species. The commission may designate, and remove the designation for, an endangered species consistent with section 2 of this act.
     (7) If the director determines that a species of the animal kingdom, not native to Washington, is dangerous to the environment or wildlife of the state, the director may request its designation as deleterious exotic wildlife. The commission may designate deleterious exotic wildlife.
     (8) Upon recommendation by the director, the commission may classify nonnative aquatic animal species according to the following categories:
     (a) Prohibited aquatic animal species: These species are considered by the commission to have a high risk of becoming an invasive species and may not be possessed, imported, purchased, sold, propagated, transported, or released into state waters except as provided in RCW 77.15.253;
     (b) Regulated aquatic animal species: These species are considered by the commission to have some beneficial use along with a moderate, but manageable risk of becoming an invasive species, and may not be released into state waters, except as provided in RCW 77.15.253. The commission shall classify the following commercial aquaculture species as regulated aquatic animal species, and allow their release into state waters pursuant to rule of the commission: Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas), kumamoto oyster (Crassostrea sikamea), European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica), manila clam (Tapes philippinarum), blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), and suminoe oyster (Crassostrea ariankenisis);
     (c) Unregulated aquatic animal species: These species are considered by the commission as having some beneficial use along with a low risk of becoming an invasive species, and are not subject to regulation under this title;
     (d) Unlisted aquatic animal species: These species are not designated as a prohibited aquatic animal species, regulated aquatic animal species, or unregulated aquatic animal species by the commission, and may not be released into state waters. Upon request, the commission may determine the appropriate category for an unlisted aquatic animal species and classify the species accordingly;
     (e) This subsection (8) does not apply to the transportation or release of nonnative aquatic animal species by ballast water or ballast water discharge.
     (9) Upon recommendation by the director, the commission may develop a work plan to eradicate native aquatic species that threaten human health. Priority shall be given to water bodies that the department of health has classified as representing a threat to human health based on the presence of a native aquatic species.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) For mammalian apex predators only, if the commission has listed a species statewide as endangered, threatened, or sensitive in Washington under RCW 77.12.020, it must consider any petitions for removing a species from classification under RCW 77.12.020, or changing the classification of the species, on a regional basis.
     (2) Regional changes to the listing status of a mammalian apex predator must be based on the biological status of the species in the proposed region, given the preponderance of scientific data available. However, the commission must consider the parallel federal endangered species act status of the species in question for the region where a change in status is petitioned.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   (1) The fish and wildlife commission must suspend any management plan or planning process for a mammalian apex predator species listed as endangered, threatened, or sensitive in Washington under RCW 77.12.020 if the species in question is not listed as endangered under the federal endangered species act for the entirety of the state of Washington's land mass.
     (2) The suspension of any management plan affected by this section may not be lifted unless the fish and wildlife commission amends the plan to be consistent with any regional changes in species status petitioned for under section 2 of this act.