H-4104              _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4032

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1990 Regular Session

By Representatives R. King, Bowman and Basich

Read first time 1/24/90 and referred to Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife.

TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The Chehalis River Basin located in southwest Washington historically produced large numbers of anadromous and resident fish; and

          WHEREAS, These fish runs have supported important recreational, commercial, and tribal fisheries in Grays Harbor and along the Washington coast; and

          WHEREAS, These once great fish runs and resident fisheries have declined significantly since the early part of this century; and

          WHEREAS, For the past decade, recreational and commercial fishing interests, industry, public utilities, and local and state governments have been trying to determine the causes of this decline, and some progress has been made; and

          WHEREAS, A comprehensive approach is necessary to review existing studies and information collected by these various entities and develop short-term and long-term goals to improve the fish runs in this basin; and

          WHEREAS, The help, cooperation, and financial support of state, local, federal, and tribal governments, and interested groups like the Grays Harbor Fisheries Enhancement Task Force,  will allow this once highly productive river basin to regain its great fish runs;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that H.R. 3787, the Chehalis River Basin Fishery Resources Study and Restoration Act of 1989, introduced by Congresswoman Jolene Unsoeld and Congressman Al Swift, be passed by the Congress and signed by the President of the United States.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.