WDFW Requested Legislation: Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement...BILL PASSED

[Slow-1]

So I guess the native tribes are going to be fined in the same manner for above listed fish found dead in a gillnet.

[LndShrk]

One thing that jumps out to me is, provided WDFW proves through DNA sampling that the salmon or steelhead are truley wild, and not just un-clipped hatchery fish.

The state law (already in place) adopts the federal regulations as to what is protected and what is not. For salmon and steelhead the "official" term is "naturally spawned." So a problem you may have with DNA is that if a fish doesn't return to the hatchery and does spawn naturally their offspring will not be clipped but may have DNA similar to the hatchery fish. Under federal law, those fish are protected....

I am not a fan. I catch a few salmon around the area and I can assure you that there are many hatchery fish with partially clipped fins. As well until we can assure that all hatcheries are operating under the same standards with clipping I really do not want to see anymore legislation and fines around this already grey area. I understand the intent of the legislation and such but there are so many other more significant contributing factors to the damage of this resource nets / bycatch habitat etc.. the list can go on and on that I feel the emphasis should be put on addressing those issues and not on the enforcement of a law that is quite debatable if it is even needed or not.  This too me is only a feel good law and a green check mark that says nothing more than "Hey look we did something"

[bigtex]

With UC's thread about changing WDFW regs I wanted to bring this up again. This is the "official" WDFW requested law enforcement legislation for 2014.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I for one am glad that the Orca fine has been increased. The interesting part is, if you follow the laws you dont have to worry about it.

Really? I can think of a lot of situations where an animal that can stay underwater for 10's of minutes could pop up beside your boat without any effort to get close on your part. I've had Orcas swim right next to my boat while I was anchored for one.

[bigtex]

This legislation will be introduced in the legislature within the next two weeks...

[snowpack]

This might sound like a stupid question, but can you explain the difference between 'taking' and 'possession'?
To me 'taking' is when you kill the fish and toss it in the icebox.  'Possession' is controlling the outcome of a fish.  So, if you catch one of these fish and grab its tail so you can remove the hook to release it, you would be possessing it. 

[bigtex]

A poll has been added to this thread..

[bigtex]

The bill was introduced today, it is SB 6041

[bigtex]

The bill has it's first committee hearing 1/21 at 1:30 in front of the Senate Natural Resources & Parks Committee

[bigtex]

SB 6041 is sponsored by Senators Hargrove, Pearson, Rolfes, Hewitt, and Sheldon

HB 2460 is sponsored by Reps Blake, Chandler, Hurst, Lytton, Takko, Wilcox, Kretz, Warnick, Tharinger, and Tarleton

[bigtex]

The Senate bill passed unanimously today

[lokidog]

I've had the orcas pop up close as well.  Even got yelled at by one of the orca nazis when the whales came by us as we drifted after pulling our shrimp pots.

Will the fines include the natives blowing through pods with their gill netters and seiners?  "Head bash! "

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using Tapatalk

[bigtex]

Will the fines include the natives blowing through pods with their gill netters and seiners?  "Head bash! "

The fine for the Orca violation was already increased in December by order of the WA Supreme Court. For about the past two years the fine was $87. Prior to that the fine was $1,025. This legislation would put it into state law that the fine will be $500 plus statutory assessments which would bring it to $1,025

[bigtex]

For those that voted no, why?

I thought we all want those who violate fish and wildlife laws to be punished..That's what this bill will do.....

[Special T]

I have not yet voted but consider the NO and option... I must say that if the state cannot get convitions for the most agredious offenders like in Operation Cody then why bother with increasing the fines?

I don't suffer from the do something disease, i prefer they/we get something done right.