HOUSE BILL 2431
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State of Washington 58th Legislature 2004 Regular Session

By Representatives Upthegrove, Cooper and Chase

Read first time 01/14/2004. Referred to Committee on Fisheries,
Ecology & Parks.


AN ACT Relating to Dungeness crab endorsement; amending RCW 77.32.430;
creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

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

{+ NEW SECTION. +} Sec. 1. It is the intent of the legislature to
optimize the management of the recreational allocation of Dungeness crab in
Washington state. To accomplish this task, it is necessary to accurately and
efficiently quantify the total catch by recreational fishers for Dungeness crab
using data from catch record cards. Therefore, an endorsement fee on the catch
record card paid at the time of purchasing a recreational fishing license will
be required for Dungeness crab to specifically identify the recreational crab
harvesting population. The endorsement fee will significantly improve the
precision of the catch estimates by eliminating the current practice of sampling
fishers who do not participate in the recreational crab fishery.

Sec. 2. RCW 77.32.430 and 2003 c 318 s 1 are each amended to read as
follows:
(1) Catch record card(({- s -})) {+ information is +} necessary for proper
management of the state's food fish and game fish species and shellfish
resources{+ . Catch record card administration +} shall be (({- administered -
})) under rules adopted by the commission (({- and issued at no charge for the -
})){+ . There is no charge for an +} initial catch record card (({- and ten
dollars for -})){+ . E +}ach subsequent {+ or duplicate +} catch record
card(({- . A duplicate catch record [card] -})) costs ten dollars.
(2) {+ A license to take and possess Dungeness crab is only valid if the
fisher has in possession a valid catch record card officially endorsed for
Dungeness crab. The endorsement shall cost no more than three dollars including
any or all fees authorized under RCW 77.32.050.
(3) +} Catch record cards issued with affixed temporary short-term charter
stamp licenses are not subject to the ten-dollar charge (({- as -})) {+ nor to
the Dungeness crab endorsement fee +} provided {+ for +} in this section.
Charter boat or guide operators issuing temporary short-term charter stamp
licenses shall affix the stamp to each catch record card issued before fishing
commences. Catch record cards issued with a temporary short-term charter stamp
are valid for two consecutive days.
(3) The department shall include provisions for recording marked and
unmarked salmon in catch record cards issued after March 31, 2004.
(4) The funds received from the sale of catch record cards {+ and the
Dungeness crab endorsement +} must be deposited into the wildlife fund. {+ The
funds received from the Dungeness crab endorsement may be used only for the
sampling and monitoring of catch associated with the Dungeness crab recreational
fisheries. +}

{+ NEW SECTION. +} Sec. 3. This act takes effect December 1, 2004, and
applies only to those recreational licenses sold for the 2005-2006 Dungeness
crab fishery and to all subsequent recreational Dungeness crab fisheries.

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