BILL REQ. #:  H-1348.1 

Read first time 02/19/2007.   Referred to Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources.

     AN ACT Relating to disturbances of spawning beds; adding a new section to chapter 77.95 RCW; and prescribing penalties.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 77.95 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) No person may, during the time periods identified by the commission, lawfully engage in the following activities in rivers and streams, as designated by the commission, where salmon or steelhead spawning occur:
     (a) Driving motor vehicles on spawning beds;
     (b) Using high-powered jet or propeller-driven boats across spawning beds;
     (c) Dragging anchors through spawning beds; and
     (d) Similar activities capable of disturbing spawning fish or damaging or destroying nests of incubating eggs.
     (2) A violation of this section is a natural resource infraction under chapter 7.84 RCW.
     (3) The commission shall adopt rules to carry out this section, including the time periods when the rules are in effect.
     (4) The department shall:
     (a) Publish rules adopted by the commission under this section in brochures that are disseminated to persons applying for fishing and boating licenses. The department must also distribute the brochures widely to retail outlets that cater to outdoor recreation;
     (b) Work cooperatively with the tribal comanagers for all fish resources in implementing and enforcing the requirements of this section; and
     (c) Report to the legislature concerning the effectiveness of this section after at least two spawning cycles of salmon and steelhead have occurred.