SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5642

               As Passed Senate, March 11, 1997

Title:  An act relating to limiting the number of fishers eligible to commercially fish for Puget Sound dungeness crab.

Brief Description:  Regulating the taking of dungeness crab in Puget Sound.

Sponsors:  Senators Spanel and Oke.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Natural Resources & Parks:  2/14/97, 2/21/97 [DP].

Passed Senate, 3/11/97, 46-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES & PARKS

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Oke, Chair; Rossi, Vice Chair; Hargrove, Jacobsen, Morton, Prentice, Roach, Snyder, Spanel, Stevens and Swecker.

Staff:  Ross Antipa (786-7413)

Background:  The Director of the Department of Fish and Wildlife may accept new applications for Puget Sound dungeness crab commercial fishery licenses when fewer than 200 fishers have active licenses.

There is interest in reducing the level at which new applications would be accepted to below 125 active licenses in order to better size the commercial crab fleet to the available crab resource.

Summary of Bill:  The director may accept new applications for Puget Sound dungeness commercial crab fishing licenses when the number of licenses falls below 125.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The legislation is needed to assist in efforts to secure federal license buyback funds.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Bruce Crawford, WDFW (pro); Karen Thompson, Joe Verdoes, Inner Sound Crab Assn. (pro).