6120-S.E AMH FW H4473.1

ESSB 6120 - H COMM AMD

By Committee on Fisheries & Wildlife

    Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

    "NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  The legislature finds that cooperative groups and regional fisheries enhancement groups provide a valuable service to the state.  They improve the habitat for anadromous fish and directly enhance the populations of anadromous fish utilizing fish culture technology.  The contributions provided by these groups is invaluable.  The legislature recognizes that efforts should be made to encourage the development of cooperative groups and regional fisheries enhancement groups.  The restoration of our anadromous fish stocks can be facilitated by the full public participation that these groups provide.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 75.50 RCW to read as follows:

    The department shall strive to provide fish eggs and fry requested by cooperative groups in all cases after the needs of state-operated and tribally operated facilities have been met.  In no case shall the department sell suitable viable eggs when there is a request for eggs from a cooperative group that could be fulfilled by that particular stock of salmon egg, as determined by the department.  If suitable eggs are not available, then the department shall make every effort to make available alternate salmon species, races, or stocks that could be used for fish culture purposes, with the ultimate goal being to increase the salmon resource of the state.

    Beginning June 1, 1995, the department shall make efforts, consistent with its wild stock salmonid policy, to administer the cooperative projects program with consistency and fairness state-wide.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 75.52 RCW to read as follows:

    The department shall strive to provide fish eggs and fry to regional fisheries enhancement groups in all cases after the needs of state-operated and tribally operated facilities have been met.  In no case shall the department sell suitable viable eggs when there is a request for eggs from a regional fisheries enhancement group that could be fulfilled by that particular stock of salmon egg, as determined by the department.  If suitable eggs are not available, then the department shall make every effort to make available alternate salmon species, races, or stocks that could be used for fish culture purposes, with the ultimate goal being to increase the salmon resource of the state.

    Beginning June 1, 1995, the department shall make efforts, consistent with its wild stock salmonid policy, to administer the regional fisheries enhancement group program with consistency and fairness state-wide.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 75.50 RCW to read as follows:

    The department shall notify all regional fisheries enhancement groups of any closures or proposed closures of salmon enhancement facilities owned by the department.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  The house of representatives fisheries and wildlife committee and the senate natural resources committee shall develop legislative proposals for the 1995 legislative session that will authorize state agencies, cooperative groups, and regional fisheries enhancement groups to obtain all necessary state and local permits for their fish enhancement projects at no cost, provided that such projects are designed to benefit the fish and wildlife resources of the state, and that the enhanced fish and wildlife resources are available for use by all citizens of the state.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  If the department of natural resources receives federal funds for the purpose of watershed restoration during the biennium ending June 30, 1995, the department shall use three hundred thousand dollars of these funds to develop a public and private land habitat improvement program for the purposes of increasing rearing habitat for anadromous fish, unless the expenditure of such funds for this purpose is expressly prohibited.  The department shall involve interested landowners in development of the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  The department of fish and wildlife shall examine the potential for creating incentives for public and private landowners to develop fish enhancement projects.  The study of such incentives shall include regulatory, financial, and technical assistance methods of encouraging such projects.  The department shall involve representatives from the following entities in its study:  Private and public landowners, affected tribal, state, federal, and local government agencies, the environmental community, and others as the department determines is necessary.  By December 31, 1994, the department shall report to the appropriate committees of the legislature its findings and recommendations on appropriate incentives and on needed statutory changes or funding.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8.  If the department of fish and wildlife receives federal funds for the purpose of watershed restoration during the biennium ending June 30, 1995, the department shall use two hundred fifty-eight thousand dollars of such funds for the purpose of funding adequate field staff for assisting the regional fisheries enhancement groups and cooperative groups, unless the expenditure of such funds for this purpose is expressly prohibited.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 9.  Section 6 of this act shall constitute a new chapter in Title 76 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 10.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1994."

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