H-3099              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 2304

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives Crane, Todd, Valle, Bowman, Hine and Brumsickle

Read first time 1/9/90 and referred to Committee on Environmental Affairs.

AN ACT Relating to environmental quality; adding new sections to chapter 70.93 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 75.25 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 75.28 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.32 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that prolonged visual, biological, and economic impacts to the state's shorelands, waterways, and marine environments result from improper disposal of trash and other  waste materials, including fishing bait packaging, during fishing trips.  Nonbiodegradable waste materials pose an especially significant problem since they  persist in the environment for long periods of time.  The purpose of this act is  to reduce both the amount of litter associated with fishing trips and the environmental impacts of such litter.  To accomplish this purpose, the legislature finds that it is necessary to increase public awareness of the littering problem, and to reduce the use of nonbiodegradable materials during fishing trips.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 70.93 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) The department shall design and print educational materials for distribution by the department of fisheries and the department of wildlife.  Public education materials developed under this section shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:

          (a) The impact of litter on the marine environment and marine organisms;

          (b) Regulations pertaining to illegal waste disposal and littering;

          (c) Possible penalties for violations of such regulations; and

          (d) Types of fishing bait packaging acceptable under section 3 of this act.

          (2) The department shall consult with the department of fisheries and department of wildlife when designing educational materials under subsection (1) of this section, and shall make the materials available to the department of fisheries and department of wildlife for distribution to recipients of fishing licenses or permits under sections 4 through 6 of this act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 70.93 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) After January 1, 1991, it is unlawful for any person to buy, sell, or offer for sale fishing bait that is packaged in nonbiodegradable packaging or accompanied by nonbiodegradable packaging materials.

          (2) A violation of this section is a misdemeanor punishable to the same extent as a misdemeanor under Title 9A RCW.

          (3) The department shall adopt rules in the manner provided in chapter 34.05 RCW in order to implement this section, and shall consult with the department of fisheries and department of wildlife when adopting such rules.  Rules adopted under this section shall include, but not be limited to:

          (a) Definitions of the terms biodegradable and nonbiodegradable that, when applied under subsection (1) of this section, function in such a manner as to accomplish the purposes of this act;

          (b) A list of specific types of biodegradable fishing bait packaging materials that are acceptable under this section; and

          (c) Enforcement policies and procedures.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 75.25 RCW to read as follows:

          The department shall provide educational materials developed by the department of ecology under section 2 of this act to all persons who obtain a recreational fishing license authorized in this chapter at the time the license or punchcard is issued.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  A new section is added to chapter 75.28 RCW to read as follows:

          The department shall provide educational materials developed by the department of ecology under section 2 of this act to all persons who obtain a commercial fishing license or permit at the time of license or permit issuance.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 77.32 RCW to read as follows:

          The department shall provide educational materials developed by the department of ecology under section 2 of this act to all persons who obtain a recreational fishing license or temporary fishing license at the time of license issuance.