S-2051               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6089

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Sutherland and Bauer

Read first time 3/10/89 and referred to Committee on  Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to commercial salmon fishing; and amending RCW 75.12.132.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 1, chapter 245, Laws of 1983 as amended by section 5, chapter 80, Laws of 1984 and RCW 75.12.132 are each amended to read as follows:

          (1) It is unlawful to fish for or take salmon commercially with a net within the waters of the tributaries and sloughs described in subsection (2) of this section which flow into or are connected with the Columbia river.  It is unlawful to fish for or take salmon commercially with a net in the Columbia river within one-half nautical mile of the mouth or mouths of the tributaries described in subsection (2) of this section.

          (2) The director shall adopt rules defining geographical boundaries of the following Columbia river tributaries and sloughs:

          (a) Washougal river;

          (b) Camas slough;

          (c) Lewis river;

          (d) Kalama river;

          (e) Cowlitz river;

          (f) Elokomin river;

          (g) Elokomin sloughs;

          (h) Skamokawa sloughs;

          (i) Grays river;

          (j) Deep river;

          (k) Grays bay.

          (3) ((The director may authorize commercial net fishing for salmon in the tributaries and sloughs from September 1 to November 30 if the time, areas and level of effort are regulated in order to maximize the recreational fishing opportunity while minimizing excess returns of fish to hatcheries.  The director shall not authorize commercial net fishing if a significant catch of steelhead would occur)) The director shall not authorize any commercial salmon fishery in the Columbia river until the tributary conservation escapement goal for each tributary described in subsection (2) of this section has been achieved, and the escapement goal for tributary recreational fisheries has been achieved in each Columbia river tributary described in subsection (2) of this section.