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SB 6241 - Steelhead populations

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Section 1

The legislature finds that steelhead trout are one of the anadromous fish populations in Washington state that are struggling from weak returns, habitat reduction, and predator pressure. The legislature further finds that salmon and steelhead hatchery production and capacity are being reduced. The legislature further finds that on the other side of the Columbia river, steelhead fisheries in Oregon are stabilizing and ocean returns are increasing in part due to wild broodstock conservation programs. Therefore, the legislature finds that the department of fish and wildlife shall pursue similar programs in Washington to stabilize steelhead populations, implement the goals set forth in chapter 77.110 RCW, and manage steelhead trout in a way to encourage and increase recovery of the steelhead population.

Section 2

  1. In every WRIA as defined in RCW 90.82.020 with a native steelhead population, the department must implement a steelhead wild broodstock conservation program in which volunteers deliver live broodstock to a hatchery or rearing facility. The department then shall rear the wild fish for release at the appropriate time.

  2. The wild broodstock conservation program shall derive broodstock from the wild population in each WRIA. The program shall identify effective population size targets and other strategies to reduce risk of inbreeding depression, genetic drift, and domestication for broodstocks.

  3. The department shall conduct rule making to develop hatchery management plans that utilize wild broodstock to sustain wild populations in each WRIA that contains a native population of steelhead trout. The department shall implement rules to:

    1. Establish fish health requirements;

    2. Require wild broodstock for the conservation program;

    3. Establish effective population size targets;

    4. Identify strategies to reduce risk of inbreeding depression, genetic drift, and domestication;

    5. Establish methods to minimize stress and maximize survival of fish to spawning; and

    6. Establish policies for disposition of kelts to encourage iteroparity, spawning protocols, incubation protocols, rearing protocols, release protocols, and predator control.

  4. The wild broodstock conservation program must have clear management objectives, including species conservation, watershed health, and fisheries supply.

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