SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5479

BYSenators 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:John Korvell (786-7473)

                  February 22, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES, FEBRUARY 20, 1989

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 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 area is to be established later by department rule.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

Not less than two areas will be set aside for recreational geoduck harvesting.  The areas will be withdrawn from commercial harvesting by authority of the Commissioner of Public Lands.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested February 16, 1989

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)