H-4487.2
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 2957
| | |
State of Washington | 65th Legislature | 2018 Regular Session |
By House Agriculture & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Lytton, Peterson, Robinson, Wilcox, Taylor, Stambaugh, Sawyer, Chapman, Pollet, and Stanford)
READ FIRST TIME 02/02/18.
AN ACT Relating to reducing escape of nonnative finfish from marine finfish aquaculture facilities; adding a new section to chapter
77.125 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The departments of ecology, natural resources, and fish and wildlife must continue the existing effort to update guidance and informational resources to industry and governments for planning and permitting commercial marine net pen aquaculture.
(2) The effort must utilize new scientific information that has emerged since the current state guidance that dates from the late 1980s through 1990, and address topics including local shoreline permitting, water quality, impacts on native fish, shellfish, and wildlife, and interagency coordination in permitting, inspections, and enforcement. The guidance must be designed to eliminate commercial marine net pen escapement and negative impacts to water quality and native fish, shellfish, and wildlife.
(3) The guidance and resources must be completed by December 31, 2018.
(4) This section expires December 31, 2019.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 77.125 RCW to read as follows:
(1) For marine finfish aquaculture of Atlantic salmon, the facility operator must hire, at their own expense, a marine engineering firm approved by the department to conduct inspections. Inspections must occur approximately every two years, when net pens are fallow, and must include topside and mooring assessments related to escapement potential, structural integrity, permit compliance, and operations.
(2) Any net pen facility must be found to be in good working order to receive fish.
(3) If the facility is found to be in imminent danger of collapse or release of Atlantic salmon, the director may require the operator to remove fish or deny a fish transfer permit.
--- END ---