WHEREAS, Washington has a uniquely rich and varied marine environment with its 2600 miles of coastline, adjacent waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Pacific Ocean, and the sea related aspects of the Columbia and Snake River systems which comprises a principal asset of the state and its people; and

WHEREAS, Washington has an active interest in marine resources and ocean policy, a heightened awareness of the importance of the marine environment, and a belief that a strong, coherent, and scientifically based policy towards our marine environment is in the best interests of economic development and environmental management; and

WHEREAS, The marine sector plays a vital role in Washington's economy through commercial and sports fishing; public and private aquaculture; seafood processing; recreation, including cruise ships, tour boats, beaches and resorts together with boating and marinas; shipping; shipbuilding; port-related enterprise; technology development; marine trades; support services; law; banking and insurance; marine research; and resource management and consulting, which all depend, whether totally or in part, on the richness of our marine resources and its health; and

WHEREAS, The federal role with regard to ocean and marine development policy has grown significantly in recent years, but the necessary funding directed to state and local governments has been curtailed; and

WHEREAS, The state responsibility for its marine resources is dispersed among a number of state agencies, including ecology, fisheries, game, natural resources, agriculture, trade and economic development, parks and recreation which makes it difficult to develop broad policies, to monitor adequately activities at the federal level and in other states, and to engage in anticipatory, rather than reactive programming; and

WHEREAS, Washington's marine interests extend far beyond state waters and agency jurisdictions, and some of the activities taking place, or planned to take place outside of state waters may affect communities and private and public interests within Washington; and

WHEREAS, Other states have begun efforts, on their own or through a cooperative effort through the national conference of state legislatures, western legislative conference, council of state governments, western governor's association, associations of state resource agencies, public and private institutions of higher education, to take a closer look at their own state, regional and federal ocean and marine policies; and

WHEREAS, A strong research, education, and information base is vital to maintaining and improving existing marine enterprises and to enhancing opportunities for development of new ones, and is essential to the legislature to deal effectively with the many complex problems associated with the marine environment;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a joint select committee on marine and ocean resources be established to: (1) Review existing state and federal laws and policies for the management, development, and use of marine resources, and identify changes in laws and policies as necessary; (2) survey public and private agencies, including the University of Washington and other institutions of higher education, to determine their roles in the management, development, and use of marine resources; (3) develop a timeline of pending international, federal, regional, or state policy decisions which will affect resource management, development, or use; (4) make recommendations to the legislature for policy implementation, the coordination and management of marine resources; (5) identify regional efforts, executive, legislative, or administrative, planned or underway that seek to cooperate in marine resource use, management, or development; (6) develop an overview of marine research and capabilities available to the legislature and others to make reasoned public policy decisions on the use, development, and management of marine and ocean resources; and (7) regularly report to the legislature and its committees, information on the planned federal 1989-91 offshore oil and gas leasing policies and their implication for state procedures and process; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee consist of eight members, two members from the majority party and two members from the minority party of the Senate, selected by the President of the Senate, and two members from the majority party and two members from the minority party of the House of Representatives, selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee is encouraged to establish an advisory group to include representatives of state agencies, local government, institutions of higher education, and Indian tribes, with which it will work closely in the development of the recommendations identified above; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee may receive such gifts, grants, and endowments from public and private sources as may be made from time to time, for the use and benefit of the purposes of the committee and expend the same therefrom according to the terms of the gifts, grants, or endowments if approved by the Senate Facilities and Operations and House Executive Rules Committees; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee may and is encouraged to coordinate its information gathering, surveys and research with the appropriate standing committees of the Washington State Senate and House of Representatives, National Conference of State Legislatures, Council of State Governments, Western Legislative Conference, and other quasi-governmental entities that are interested in and concerned with marine resource use, management, and development.