H-1646              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1988

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives S. Wilson, Haugen, Bowman, Vekich and Smith

Read first time 2/15/89 and referred to Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife.

AN ACT Relating to creating a fishery management study committee; creating a new section; providing an expiration date; and declaring an emergency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     (1) The president of the senate shall appoint four senate members, two from each caucus, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint four house members, two from each caucus, to form the fishery management study committee.  The committee shall include representatives of interested groups not to exceed six members, three appointed by the secretary of the senate and three appointed by the speaker of the house, and a representative each from the department of fisheries and the department of wildlife.

          (2) The committee shall develop specific recommendations on how state policy may be modified to promote both the commercial and recreational fishing industries within the state in order to realize the full potential of the state's fishery resource.  Along with its recommendations, the committee shall:

          (a) Review and evaluate the existing food fish and steelhead enhancement programs within the state, both public and private, and determine the additional resources necessary to successfully implement them;

          (b) Evaluate methods to promote Washington state as a sport fishing area for nonresidents, including the ability of the state to develop trophy quality fisheries in selected marine areas, rivers, and streams;

          (c) Evaluate methods to integrate enhancement efforts of the state and the Indian tribes including dedicated funding for state efforts;

          (d) Identify issues that impact other states, particularly Oregon and Idaho, and evaluate mechanisms that will ensure a cooperative relationship among the states to develop management policy to conserve and enhance the resource; and

          (e) Evaluate commercial fishing licenses, including rate structure and rate-setting criteria, termination of licenses, and restricting transferability of license ownership.

          (3) The committee shall choose a chair from a among its membership.

          (4) The committee shall report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature by January 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     This act shall expire on May 1, 1990.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.