Section 602(39) of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5693

Section 604(39) of Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5693:
This budget measure can be found on page 718 and 719 of ESSB 5693 linked below.

(38)(a) $175,000 of the general fund—state appropriation for fiscal year 2023 is provided solely for the Washington state academy of sciences for a review of department of fish and wildlife fishery related mortality estimates for wild salmonid stocks from conventional and alternative commercial fishing gears authorized for use within lower Columbia river nontribal salmon fisheries, specifically gill net, tangle net, beach seine, purse seine, and pound net, and the ability of each fishing gear to selectively harvest hatchery-reared salmon.

(b) The review must:

(i) Determine the extent to which wild salmonid stocks are harvested in a gear-specific fishery, including a review of current 28 stock composition estimates;

(ii) Identify and synthesize stock-specific data and peer-reviewed scientific literature that exists for immediate and long-term post-release mortality rates and annual wild salmonid stock encounters for each gear within specific fishing seasons in the lower Columbia river; and

(iii) Determine the origins and scientific bases of stock-specific bycatch mortality rate estimates currently used by the department of fish and wildlife for management of endangered species act listed fish stocks impacted by each nontribal commercial fishing gear and evaluate the precision and accuracy of these estimates relative to the data and peer-reviewed scientific literature that exists.

(c) By June 30, 2023, the Washington academy of sciences must submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature pursuant to RCW 43.01.036 of its findings and recommendations related to gear-specific data gaps and the need to potentially reassess approved bycatch mortality and encounter rates used by the department of fish and wildlife for fishery management. It is intended that the report will inform development of an investment plan and management strategy to continue the transition of lower Columbia river nontribal commercial fisheries toward science-based selective fishing regimes that create the least harm to wild salmonids and are most beneficial to Columbia river basin salmon recovery efforts.

Link to the full text of the final 2022 supplemental operating budget passed by the Legislature: 5693-S.PL.pdf (wa.gov)