BILL REQ. #:  S-0720.2 

Read first time 01/21/09.   Referred to Committee on Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation.

     AN ACT Relating to creating the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program; adding new sections to chapter 77.12 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 77.32 RCW; providing an effective date; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   It is the intent of the legislature to establish the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program to continue and, to the maximum extent possible, increase recreational fishing opportunities on the upper Columbia river and its tributaries.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     The department shall create and administer an upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program. The program must facilitate continued and, to the maximum extent possible, improved recreational salmon and steelhead fishing opportunities in the upper Columbia river and its tributaries by supplementing the resources available to the department to carry out the scientific monitoring and evaluation, data collection, permitting, reporting, enforcement, and other activities necessary to provide such opportunities.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 77.32 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) In addition to a recreational license required under this chapter, an upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp is required in order for any person fifteen years of age or older to fish recreationally for salmon or steelhead in the upper Columbia river and its tributaries where these fisheries have been authorized by the department. The cost for each stamp is fifteen dollars. The department shall deposit all receipts from stamp purchases into the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account created in section 4 of this act. Persons wanting to contribute additional moneys for purposes of the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program may purchase additional stamps.
     (2) For the purposes of this section and sections 2 and 4 through 6 of this act, the term "upper Columbia river" means the Columbia river from the old Hanford townsite wooden powerline towers to the Chief Joseph dam.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     The upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp purchases under section 3 of this act and gifts made for purposes of the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for purposes of the program created in section 2 of this act. Expenditures from the account for the department's administrative costs may not exceed fifteen percent of the annual receipts to the account. Only the director or the director's designee may authorize expenditures from the account. The account is subject to allotment procedures under chapter 43.88 RCW, but an appropriation is not required for expenditures.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department shall administer the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program in consultation with an upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board. The board shall serve in an advisory capacity to the department.
     (2) The director or director's designee shall appoint members to the upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board, and in doing so shall seek to provide and maintain equitable representation from the geographic areas and established recreational fishing organizations of the upper Columbia river. The board must consist of no fewer than six and no more than ten members at any one time.
     (3) The upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall make annual recommendations to the department regarding program expenditures. To the maximum extent possible, the board and department shall seek to reach consensus regarding program activities and expenditures. The director or the director's designee shall provide the board with a written explanation when the department expends funds from the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program account created in section 4 of this act in a manner that differs substantially from board recommendations.
     (4) Upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board members shall be reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   A new section is added to chapter 77.12 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) By December 1, 2015, the department and the upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead recreational anglers board shall review the upper Columbia river recreational salmon and steelhead pilot stamp program, prepare a brief summary of the activities conducted under the program, and provide this summary and a recommendation whether the program should be continued to the appropriate committees of the senate and house of representatives.
     (2) This section expires January 1, 2016.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 7   By September 1, 2009, the department of fish and wildlife shall establish and make publicly available a list of tributaries to the upper Columbia river where an upper Columbia river salmon and steelhead stamp is required to fish recreationally for salmon or steelhead pursuant to section 3 of this act.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 8   Section 2 of this act takes effect January 1, 2010.