Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research	BILL ANALYSIS
Natural Resources Committee

HB 1286

Brief Description:  Providing hatchery origin salmon eggs in order to replenish fish runs.

Sponsors:  Representatives Lisk, Grant, Sump, Cox, Doumit, G. Chandler, Mulliken, Mielke, Clements, Lambert, Hankins, Pflug, Dunn, B. Chandler, Buck, Cairnes, Pennington, Boldt, Hatfield, Delvin, Armstrong, Skinner, Alexander, Kessler, Pearson, D. Schmidt, Anderson, Rockefeller and Esser.

Brief Summary of Bill

$The Department of Fish and Wildlife is prohibited from destroying salmon that originated from a hatchery for the purpose of destroying viable eggs that would otherwise be useful for replenishing fish runs as determined by the department or federally approved tribes within the state.

$The highest priority for the department in providing surplus salmon eggs is to tribes, voluntary groups with cooperative agreements, regional fisheries enhancement groups, governmental hatcheries in Washington, Idaho, and Oregon, and lead entities approved for funding by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.

Hearing Date:  2/21/01

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786‑7092).

Background: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife may sell or transfer surplus salmon eggs from stocks that aren=t suitable for salmon rehabilitation or enhancement in the state.   The department is required, however, to give a high priority to private contractors who will rear and release smolts into public waters when making surplus salmon eggs available.   The department may also authorize the sale of surplus salmon eggs by cooperative projects.  Tribes, other volunteer groups, and other governmental hatcheries outside the state are not provided a priority opportunity to obtain surplus salmon eggs.

Summary of Bill: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is prohibited from destroying salmon that originated from a hatchery for the purpose of destroying viable eggs that would otherwise be useful for replenishing fish runs as determined by the department or federally approved tribes within the state.

If the state determines that there are surplus fish eggs, these eggs must be provided to these groups in the following order of priority: hatcheries of federally approved tribes within the state; voluntary groups that have entered into a cooperative agreement with the department for salmon culture programs under the supervision of the department; regional fisheries enhancement groups  for salmon culture programs under the supervision of the department; governmental hatcheries in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; and salmon culture programs requested by lead entities and approved by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.   These groups are given priority over making salmon eggs available to private contractors for the purpose of contract rearing to release  smolts into public waters.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.