SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6239

BYSenators Zimmerman, Metcalf and Rasmussen

Establishing a hotline for fishery user groups.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 13, 1988; January 25, 1988

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6239 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Smith, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, Kreidler, Owen, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Kaleen Cottingham (786-7415); Vic Moon (786-7469)

                  January 28, 1988

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES, JANUARY 25, 1988

BACKGROUND:

The Department of Fisheries currently has one "hotline" for commercial fishing interests to call and receive a recorded message on season openings or fishing restrictions.  Complaints have been made that the system cannot handle the number of callers and that the message is too long because it covers all of the state.

The present system is costly and for every one call that gets through four callers get busy signals.  A toll free line to meet present needs would cost over $100,000 per biennium and would serve the 4,000 commercial and 450,000 salmon sport fishery interests.  The use of a pay as you go 976 number would cost about $48,000 in startup costs and calls would be set at 40 to 50 cents a call to cover all Department costs.

Sports fishing interests have expressed an interest in having a similar "hotline" for sports seasons and other information.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Fisheries shall operate a toll-free telephone system for sports and commercial fishing information.  The telephone system shall include four separate lines with separate recorded messages:  Commercial--Puget Sound and Straits of Juan de Fuca; Commercial--Coast and Columbia River; Sports--Puget Sound and Straits of Juan de Fuca; and Sports--Coast and Columbia River.

The message shall indicate the dates and times it is valid.  The tape shall be kept for documentation purposes.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The Department of Fisheries will operate a 24-hour per day "hotline" for specific fishery user groups.  For the purposes of the Act, "hotline" means a telephone system that specific individuals can call to receive a recorded message concerning rules and other information from the Department.  At a minimum, there must be separate messages for each of the following user groups:  Commercial--Puget Sound and Straits of Juan de Fuca; Commercial--Coast and Columbia River; Sports--Puget Sound and Straits of Juan de Fuca; Sports--Coast and Columbia River.

The message on each of the "hotlines", in addition to providing pertinent regulatory information, will indicate the dates and time for which the message is valid.  For documentation purposes, the Department will keep a recorded copy of each message for a period of at least five years.

The Department of Fisheries in providing information service by telephone may establish charges to recover the costs of those services.  Charging for the service shall not price it at a profit to increase excess revenue to the Department.  The fee structure shall be higher for the first two years of operation in order to repay the general fund for the $45,000 appropriation for the biennium ending June 30, 1989.

The Department will prepare a cost-benefit analysis of available methods of providing service and will adopt a method that provides the best service at the lowest cost.  An appropriation of $45,000 from the general fund to the Department of Fisheries is authorized for acquiring and operating a "hotline" system.

Appropriation:    $45,000

Revenue:    yes

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Ed Manary, Department of Fisheries; Sally Hicks, Department of Fisheries