S-4707.1                   _______________________________________________

                                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 6204

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1994 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Natural Resources (originally sponsored by Senators Snyder and Haugen)

Read first time 02/02/94.

Changing seaweed harvesting provisions.

          AN ACT Relating to seaweed harvesting; amending RCW 79.01.805, 79.01.810, and 79.01.815; decodifying RCW 79.96.907; repealing RCW 79.01.820; prescribing penalties; and providing an effective date.

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

        Sec. 1.  RCW 79.01.805 and 1993 c 283 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) The maximum daily wet weight harvest or possession of seaweed for personal use from all private and public ((tidelands)) aquatic lands and state bedlands is ten pounds per person.  The department of natural resources in cooperation with the department of ((fisheries)) fish and wildlife may establish seaweed harvest limits of less than ten pounds for conservation purposes.  This section shall in no way affect the ability of any state agency to prevent harvest of any species of marine aquatic plant from lands under its control, ownership, or management.

(2) Commercial harvesting of seaweed from private and public aquatic lands and state bedlands is prohibited.

        Sec. 2.  RCW 79.01.810 and 1993 c 283 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A violation of RCW 79.01.805 is ((an infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW, punishable by a penalty of one hundred dollars)) a misdemeanor punishable in accordance with RCW 9.92.030.

(2) Treble damages may be awarded for damage to natural resources.

        Sec. 3.  RCW 79.01.815 and 1993 c 283 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:

          The department of ((fisheries)) fish and wildlife and law enforcement authorities may enforce the provisions of RCW 79.01.805 and 79.01.810.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  RCW 79.01.820 and 1993 c 283 s 6 are each repealed.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.  RCW 79.96.907 is decodified.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1994.

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