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ENGROSSED SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL NO. 5288
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AS RECOMMENDED BY THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE
C 336 L 89
State of Washington 51st Legislature 1989 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Environment & Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Metcalf, Vognild, Craswell, Benitz, Barr and Amondson)
Read first time 1/25/89.
AN ACT Relating to aquaculturists and the production of salmon; adding new sections to chapter 75.08 RCW; and creating a new section.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that:
(1) The fishery resources of Washington are critical to the social and economic needs of the citizens of the state;
(2) Salmon production is dependent on both wild and artificial production;
(3) The department of fisheries is directed to enhance Washington's salmon runs; and
(4) Full utilization of the state's salmon rearing facilities is necessary to enhance commercial and recreational fisheries.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:
The director shall determine the cost of operating all state- funded salmon production facilities at full capacity and shall provide this information with the department's biennial budget request.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:
The director may contract with cooperatives or private aquaculturists for the purchase of quality salmon smolts for release into public waters if all department fish rearing facilities are operating at full capacity. The intent of cooperative and private sector contracting is to explore the opportunities of cooperatively producing more salmon for the public fisheries without incurring additional capital expense for the department.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:
If the director elects to contract with cooperatives or private aquaculturists for the purpose of purchasing quality salmon smolts, contracting shall be done by a competitive bid process. In awarding contracts to private contractors, the director shall give preference to nonprofit corporations. The director shall establish the criteria for the contract, which shall include but not be limited to species, size of smolt, stock composition, quantity, quality, rearing location, release location, and other pertinent factors.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:
Nothing in this act shall authorize the practice of private ocean ranching. Privately contracted smolts become the property of the state at the time of release.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 75.08 RCW to read as follows:
The department may make available to private contractors salmon eggs in excess of department hatchery needs for the purpose of contract rearing to release the smolts into public waters. The priority of providing eggs to contract rearing shall be higher than providing eggs to aquaculture purposes which are not destined for release into Washington public waters.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.