SHB 1646 -
By Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
ADOPTED 04/11/2007
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 The legislature intends that sampling of
fish, wildlife, and shellfish by department of fish and wildlife
employees will ensure the conservation and management of fish,
shellfish, and wildlife. Because the harvest of fish and wildlife is
regulated by the department, the legislature finds that sampling by
departmental employees will benefit the resource, and will further the
department's research related to fish, wildlife, and shellfish. This
section and section 2 of this act do not apply to the harvest of
private sector cultured aquatic products as defined in RCW 15.85.020.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Department employees, in carrying out their duties under this
title on public lands or state waters, may:
(a) Collect samples of tissue, fluids, or other bodily parts of
fish, wildlife, or shellfish; or
(b) Board vessels in state waters engaged in commercial and
recreational harvest activities to collect samples of fish, wildlife,
or shellfish.
(i) Department employees shall ask permission from the owner or his
or her agent before boarding vessels in state waters.
(ii) If an employee of the department is denied access to any
vessel where access was sought for the purposes of (b) of this
subsection, the department employee may contact an enforcement officer
for assistance in applying for a search warrant authorizing access to
the vessel in order to carry out the department employee's duties under
this section.
(2) Department employees must have official identification,
announce their presence and intent, and perform their duties in a safe
and professional manner while carrying out the activities in this
section.
(3) This section does not apply to the harvest of private sector
cultured aquatic products as defined in RCW 15.85.020.
(4) This section does not apply to fish and wildlife officers and
ex officio fish and wildlife officers carrying out their duties under
this title.
Sec. 3 RCW 77.15.360 and 2000 c 107 s 243 are each amended to
read as follows:
(1) A person is guilty of unlawful interfering in department
operations if the person prevents department employees from carrying
out duties authorized by this title, including but not limited to
interfering:
(a) In the operation of department vehicles, vessels, or aircraft;
or
(b) With the collection of samples of tissue, fluids, or other
bodily parts of fish, wildlife, and shellfish under section 2 of this
act.
(2) Unlawful interfering in department operations is a gross
misdemeanor.
Sec. 4 RCW 77.15.568 and 2003 c 336 s 1 are each amended to read
as follows:
((Since violation of rules of the department relating to the
accounting of the commercial harvest of food fish, commercialized game
fish, and shellfish result in damage to the resources of the state,
persons selling such fish and shellfish at retail, including but not
limited to stores, markets, and restaurants, must maintain sufficient
records for the department to be able to ascertain the origin of the
fish and shellfish in their possession.))
(1) A retail fish seller is guilty of retail fish seller's failure
to account for commercial harvest if the retail seller sells fish or
shellfish at retail, the fish or shellfish were required to be entered
on a Washington state fish receiving ticket, the seller is not a
wholesale fish dealer or fisher selling under a direct retail sale
endorsement, and the seller fails to maintain sufficient records at the
location where the fish or shellfish are being sold to determine the
following:
(a) The name of the wholesale fish dealer or fisher selling under
a direct retail sale endorsement from whom the fish were purchased;
(b) The wholesale fish dealer's license number or the number of the
fisher's sale under a direct retail sale endorsement;
(c) The fish receiving ticket number documenting original receipt,
if known;
(d) The date of purchase; and
(e) The amount of fish or shellfish originally purchased from the
wholesale dealer or fisher selling under a direct retail sale
endorsement.
(2) A retail fish seller's failure to account for commercial
harvest is a misdemeanor.
(1) A person is guilty of a secondary commercial fish receiver's
failure to account for commercial harvest if:
(a) The person sells fish or shellfish at retail, stores or holds
fish or shellfish for another in exchange for valuable consideration,
ships fish or shellfish in exchange for valuable consideration, or
brokers fish or shellfish in exchange for valuable consideration;
(b) The fish or shellfish were required to be entered on a
Washington fish receiving ticket or a Washington aquatic farm
production annual report; and
(c) The person fails to maintain records of each receipt of fish or
shellfish, as required under subsections (3) through (5) of this
section, at the location where the fish or shellfish are being sold, at
the location where the fish or shellfish are being stored or held, or
at the principal place of business of the shipper or broker.
(2) This section does not apply to a wholesale fish dealer, a
fisher selling under a direct retail sale endorsement, or a registered
aquatic farmer.
(3) Records of the receipt of fish or shellfish required to be kept
under this section must be in the English language and be maintained
for three years from the date fish or shellfish are received, shipped,
or brokered.
(4) Records maintained by persons that retail or broker must
include the following:
(a) The name, address, and phone number of the wholesale fish
dealer, fisher selling under a direct retail sale endorsement, or
aquatic farmer or shellstock shipper from whom the fish or shellfish
were purchased or received;
(b) The Washington fish receiving ticket number documenting
original receipt or aquatic farm production quarterly report
documenting production, if available;
(c) The date of purchase or receipt; and
(d) The amount and species of fish or shellfish purchased or
received.
(5) Records maintained by persons that store, hold, or ship fish or
shellfish for others must state the following:
(a) The name, address, and phone number of the person and business
from whom the fish or shellfish were received;
(b) The date of receipt; and
(c) The amount and species of fish or shellfish received.
(6) A secondary commercial fish receiver's failure to account for
commercial harvest is a misdemeanor."
SHB 1646 -
By Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation
ADOPTED 04/11/2007
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "employees;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 77.15.360 and 77.15.568; adding a new section to chapter 77.12 RCW; creating a new section; and prescribing penalties."
EFFECT: Clarifies that a department employee will work with an
enforcement officer when applying for a search warrant when denied
access to a vessel for purposes of collecting samples.
Provides recordkeeping requirements for commercial fish receivers.
(Including persons who sell fish at retail, and persons who store,
hold, ship, or broker fish or shellfish for valuable consideration.)
Provides penalties for a secondary commercial fish receiver's
failure to account for commercial harvest.