SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5166

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

Passed Legislature - 2015 Regular Session


State of Washington	64th Legislature	2015 Regular Session

By Senate Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Rolfes, Ranker, and Hasegawa)

READ FIRST TIME 02/25/15.

AN ACT Relating to the management of forage fish resources; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife must collaborate to conduct a survey of the location of surf smelt and sand lance spawning grounds throughout Puget Sound, including the Strait of Juan de Fuca. To the extent available, the departments of natural resources and fish and wildlife must conduct the surveys using crews of the veterans conservation corps created in RCW 43.60A.150.

(2) The results from the survey required under this section must be used by the department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife to expand knowledge of spawning habitat areas. The survey results must be made accessible to the public.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. (1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department of fish and wildlife must conduct a mid-water trawl survey at various depths throughout Puget Sound to evaluate the prevalence of adults of all species of forage fish. The department must integrate the results of the survey into existing Puget Sound ecosystem assessments to assist the department of fish and wildlife in the management and conservation of forage fish species and the species that prey upon them.

(2) The department of fish and wildlife must complete the survey required under this section by June 30, 2017.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The legislature intends for the department of natural resources and the department of fish and wildlife to complete the survey required under section 1 of this act with funds specifically appropriated from the state's capital budget for the 2015-2017 biennium.