SENATE BILL REPORT

SSB 5479

BYSenate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Owen, Amondson, Kreidler, West and Sellar)

Establishing two recreational geoduck harvesting areas.

Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 20, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5479 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Metcalf, Chairman; Amondson, Vice Chairman; Barr, Benitz, Kreidler, Owen, Patterson, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Vic Moon (786-7469)

                  January 19, 1990

AS PASSED SENATE, JANUARY 19, 1990

BACKGROUND:

Geoducks generally reside in Puget Sound's hard, gravelly aquatic lands and are dug commercially by mechanical action.  When digging for geoducks, recreational scuba divers are lawfully restricted from using mechanical devices.  There are only a few areas in Puget Sound where geoducks are found in soft, muddy bottoms making digging by hand possible and practical.  These same areas are not generally suitable for mechanical commercial harvesting due to the high amount of silt stirred up by digging devices.

There is a need for the Department of Natural Resources to set aside areas for the exclusive use by recreational scuba divers.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Natural Resources is to set aside not less than two areas for recreational geoduck harvesting.  One area is in aquatic lands to the east of Cooper Point, in Budd Inlet near Olympia.  The other areas are to be established later.  The areas will be withdrawn from commercial harvesting by authority of the Commissioner of Public Lands.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Senator Owen, prime sponsor (pro); Stan Biles, DNR (pro); Arline Fullerton (pro); John Tupper (pro); Richard Pfouts (pro); Keith Anderson (pro); Mike Smith (pro)