The legislature finds that wild salmon populations have declined and that many populations are threatened and endangered. The legislature further finds that allowing the use of alternative fishing techniques that can reduce or eliminate impacts to threatened wild fish, while allowing for selective harvest of hatchery stocks, improves the recovery of wild fish and increases the opportunities to catch harvestable stocks. Therefore, the legislature finds that repealing provisions of Initiative 77 from 1934 that restricts the use of certain fishing gear will provide fisheries managers with additional options for managing the selective harvest of salmon stocks.
This section modifies existing section 77.50.030. Here is the modified chapter for context.
2.
The department, in coordination with the Oregon department of fish and wildlife, shall adopt rules to regulate the use of monofilament in gill net webbing on the Columbia river.
This section modifies existing section 77.65.160. Here is the modified chapter for context.
Fishery
License
Resident
Fee
Nonresident
Fee
Surcharge
Application Fee
a.
Salmon Gill NetGrays Harbor-Columbia river
$380
$765
plus $100
$105
b.
Salmon Gill NetPuget Sound
$380
$765
plus $100
$105
c.
Salmon Gill NetWillapa Bay-Columbia river
$380
$765
plus $100
$105
d.
Salmon pound net
$300
$765
plus $100
$105
e.
Salmon purse seine
$545
$930
plus $100
$105
f.
Salmon reef net
$380
$765
plus $100
$105
g.
Salmon troll
$380
$765
plus $100
$105
A license issued under this section authorizes no taking or delivery of salmon or other food fish unless a vessel is designated under RCW 77.65.100.
Holders of commercial salmon fishery licenses may retain incidentally caught food fish other than salmon, subject to rules of the department.
A salmon troll license includes a salmon delivery license.
A salmon gill net license authorizes the taking of salmon only in the geographical area for which the license is issued. The geographical designations in subsection (1) of this section have the following meanings:
"Puget Sound" includes waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Georgia Strait, Puget Sound and all bays, inlets, canals, coves, sounds, and estuaries lying easterly and southerly of the international boundary line and a line at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca projected northerly from Cape Flattery to the lighthouse on Tatoosh Island and then to Bonilla Point on Vancouver Island.
"Grays Harbor-Columbia river" includes waters of Grays Harbor and tributary estuaries lying easterly of a line projected northerly from Point Chehalis Light to Point Brown and those waters of the Columbia river and tributary sloughs and estuaries easterly of a line at the entrance to the Columbia river projected southerly from the most westerly point of the North jetty to the most westerly point of the South jetty.
"Willapa Bay-Columbia river" includes waters of Willapa Bay and tributary estuaries and easterly of a line projected northerly from Leadbetter Point to the Cape Shoalwater tower and those waters of the Columbia river and tributary sloughs described in (b) of this subsection.
A commercial salmon troll fishery license may be renewed under this section if the license holder notifies the department by May 1st of that year that he or she will not participate in the fishery during that calendar year. A commercial salmon gill net, reef net, or seine fishery license may be renewed under this section if the license holder notifies the department before the third Monday in September of that year that he or she will not participate in the fishery during that calendar year. The license holder must pay the one hundred dollar enhancement surcharge, plus a one hundred five dollar application fee before the third Monday in September, in order to be considered a valid renewal and eligible to renew the license the following year.
Notwithstanding the annual license fees and surcharges established in subsection (1) of this section, a person who holds a resident commercial salmon fishery license shall pay an annual license fee of one hundred dollars plus the surcharge and application fee if all of the following conditions are met:
The license holder is at least seventy-five years of age;
The license holder owns a fishing vessel and has fished with a resident commercial salmon fishery license for at least thirty years; and
The commercial salmon fishery license is for a geographical area other than the Puget Sound.
An alternate operator may not be designated for a license renewed at the one hundred dollar annual fee under this subsection (7).
This section modifies existing section 82.27.020. Here is the modified chapter for context.
In addition to all other taxes, licenses, or fees provided by law there is established an excise tax on the commercial possession of enhanced food fish as provided in this chapter. The tax is levied upon and shall be collected from the owner of the enhanced food fish whose possession constitutes the taxable event. The taxable event is the first possession in Washington by an owner after the enhanced food fish has been landed. Processing and handling of enhanced food fish by a person who is not the owner is not a taxable event to the processor or handler.
A person in possession of enhanced food fish and liable to this tax may deduct from the price paid to the person from which the enhanced food fish (except oysters) are purchased an amount equal to a tax at one-half the rate levied in this section upon these products.
The measure of the tax is the value of the enhanced food fish at the point of landing.
The tax shall be equal to the measure of the tax multiplied by the rates for enhanced food fish as follows:
a.
Chinook, coho, and chum salmon and anadromous game fish: Seven percent;
b. Pink and sockeye salmon: Three and fifteen one-hundredths percent;
c. Other food fish and shellfish, except oysters, sea urchins, and sea cucumbers: Two and one-tenth percent;
d. Oysters: Eight one-hundredths of one percent;
e. Sea urchins: Two and one-tenth percent; and
f. Sea cucumbers: Two and one-tenth percent.
This section modifies existing section 82.27.070. Here is the modified chapter for context.
All taxes collected by the department of revenue under this chapter shall be deposited in the state general fund except for the following:
The excise tax on anadromous game fish is deposited in the fish, wildlife, and conservation account created in RCW 77.12.170(3).
The excise tax on chinook, coho, and chum salmon is deposited as follows:
The equivalent of six percent shall be deposited in the state general fund to support hatchery production.
The equivalent of one percent shall be deposited in the fish, wildlife, and conservation account created in RCW 77.12.170(3) to support hatchery production and commercial fisheries management.