January 2002
Contact: Josh Weiss,
Legislative and Legal Affairs Coordinator
(360) 902-2226

Situation

Washington state law currently provides physically or mentally disabled persons, hospital patients, and senior citizens who are in the care of state-licensed or state- operated care facilities the opportunity to fish under a group fishing permit. Upon approval, the permit is issued free of charge and allows the group "occasional" fishing or shellfish harvesting, which is defined by rule as two days per month.

Persons fishing under the group fishing permit are subject to all rules, requirements, regulations and restrictions as licensed anglers.

Problem

Under current law, the group must be supervised by staff of the state-owned or state-licensed facility while fishing, and persons fishing under this permit must be under the care of the state-owned or -licensed facility specified on the permit. Family members and/or caregivers must have personal fishing or shellfish harvesting licenses.

Proposal

The proposed amendment would expand group fishing permit eligibility to include disabled, seriously ill, and terminally ill persons, and to allow non-profit organizations whose primary purpose is to serve the needs of those persons, to supervise fishing activity occurring under a group fishing permit.

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