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

HB 1821

Brief Description:  Concerning coastal Dungeness crab resource plan provisions.

Sponsors:  Representatives Buck, Doumit, Sump, Hatfield and Kessler.

Brief Summary of Bill

$The provisions of the resource plan developed for the Dungeness crab coastal fishery that are designed to effect a gear reduction or a reduced effort based upon historical landings must be considered as extenuating circumstances for failure to meet the landing requirements for coastal crab.

$If a person lost a vessel due to sinking or fire during one of the three qualifying seasons, the poundage of crab landed during the season running from December 1, 1995, to September 15, 1996, is used for purposes of determining the number of shellfish pots assigned to a Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license.

Hearing Date:  2/19/01

Staff:  Bill Lynch (786‑7092).

Background: 

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is required to develop a resource plan for the Dungeness crab coastal fishery that achieves an even-flow of harvesting as well as long-term stability of the fishery.  The department must seek the input of the Dungeness crab coastal fishery licensees and processors in preparing the plan.  The plan may include pot limits, reductions in the number of vessels, individual quotas, trip limits, area quotas, and other measures as determined by the department.

The number of shellfish pots assigned to a Washington Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license is based upon the most poundage of Dungeness crab landed during one of three qualifying seasons.  These qualifying seasons are: December 1, 1996, through September 15, 1997; December 1, 1997, through September 15, 1998; and December 1, 1998, through September 15, 1999.  A crab pot limit of 300 is assigned to a license with landings from zero to 35,999 pounds.  A crab pot limit of 500 is assigned to a person with landings that total 36,000 pounds or more.

The director is authorized to reduce the landing requirements for coastal crab, but may not totally waive the landing requirement, upon the recommendation of an advisory review board appointed by the director.  The advisory review board may recommend a reduction in the landing requirement in individual cases if the board finds that extenuating circumstances prevented the person from meeting the landing requirement.  The director is required to adopt rules which define "extenuating circumstances".  Extenuating circumstances may include situations in which a person had a vessel under construction so that the qualifying landings could not be made.

The provisions of the resource plan developed for the Dungeness crab coastal fishery that are designed to effect a gear reduction or a reduced effort based upon historical landings are not required to be considered as extenuating circumstances for failure to meet the landing requirements for coastal crab.

Summary of Bill: 

The provisions of the resource plan developed for the Dungeness crab coastal fishery that are designed to effect a gear reduction or a reduced effort based upon historical landings must be considered as extenuating circumstances for failure to meet the landing requirements for coastal crab.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife must use the poundage of crab landed during the season running from December 1, 1995, to September 15, 1996, for purposes of determining the number of shellfish pots assigned to a Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license, if a person lost a vessel due to sinking or fire during one of the three qualifying seasons.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 8, 2001.

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