S-3703               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 6187

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By Senators Metcalf and Conner

Read first time 1/14/88 and referred to Committee on Environment & Natural Resources.

AN ACT Relating to the commercial harvesting of seaweed; and amending RCW 79.68.080.

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

        Sec. 1.  Section 8, chapter 234, Laws of 1971 ex. sess. and RCW 79.68.080 are each amended to read as follows:

          The department of natural resources shall foster the commercial and recreational use of the aquatic environment for production of food, fibre, income, and public enjoyment from state-owned aquatic lands under its jurisdiction and from associated waters, and to this end the department may develop and improve production and harvesting of seaweeds and sealife attached to or growing on aquatic land or contained in aquaculture containers, but nothing in this section shall alter the responsibility of other state agencies for their normal management of fish, shellfish, game and water and nothing in this section authorizes the department to permit the commercial harvesting of naturally produced seaweed, including, but not limited to, all species of kelp, eelgrass, and other seaweed species.