HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 1752

BYHouse Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Representatives Spanel, S. Wilson, Haugen, Sayan, Fox, Hargrove, Cole, Kremen, Amondson, Braddock, Schmidt, Sanders and Cooper)

Authorizing one day not-for-profit smelt fishing derbies.

House Committe on Natural Resources

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (11)

      Signed by Representatives Sutherland, Chair; K. Wilson, Vice Chair; Amondson, Beck, Bumgarner, Butterfield, Cole, Dorn, Haugen, Spanel and S. Wilson.

House Staff:Bill Koss (786-7129)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 15, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Prior to 1987, sports anglers fishing for food fish only had to obtain a salmon punchcard from the Department of Fisheries.  The 1987 Legislature enacted a law requiring that anyone sport fishing for food fish possess a personal use license.  The license cost is $3 for residents and $9 for non-residents.  It allows the person to fish for any food fish.  In order to fish for salmon or sturgeon, an additional punchcard is required at a cost of $3 each.

The Department of Fisheries administers over 100 species of food fish, excluding shellfish.  Of the food fish species, only five are salmon.  With the new law, a license is required to fish for any of the food fish.

1988 is the first year the personal use license is in effect.  Sports anglers must learn to obtain the license and sporting derbies need to inform entrants of the need to buy the license.  Because of recently passed laws, some people and sporting event organizers do not understand the applicability of the law.

SUMMARY:

The Director of Fisheries may permit smelt to be taken without a personal use license if a person is fishing in a one-day smelt fishing derby sponsored by a not-for-profit community organization.  The applicant must pay an application fee of $25 for each derby.

EFFECT OF SENATE AMENDMENT(S):  In the striking amendment an exemption is made to the requirement that all people fishing for food fish must possess a food fish license.  The license costs $3 per year.  The exception allows people to fish for smelt, a food fish, without obtaining a personal use license.

The original bill allowed an exception to the requirement to possess a personal use license for smelt fishing derbies sponsored by a community organization.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Representative Spanel; Mr. Paul, LaConner Rotary Club.

House Committee - Testified Against:      Ray Ryan, Department of Fisheries.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The bill requiring a license in order to fish for smelt caught the sponsor of the fishing derby by surprise.  It does not provide any exception for charitable events.  Community sponsored non- profit events need an exception.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      The law requiring personal use fishing licenses has only been in effect for one month.  The Department prefers to wait at least one year before making any changes to the law.  In other areas where the law has cause d people to obtain licenses where they were not previously needed the compliance has been good.

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE:

      Yeas 96; Excused 2

Excused:    Representatives Allen, Smith C