To highlight the policy challenges and balance of interests of shellfish aquaculture in Washington.   Official Text and Analysis.

To make additional changes to the original bill. The original bill only stated an intent to address shellfish aquaculture issues and contained no substantive provisions.

To add a null and void clause, making the bill null and void unless funded in the budget.

To limit DNR's authority to lease state-owned aquatic lands for geoduck cultivation to 23 acres until the DOE and the Shellfish Aquaculture Regulatory Committee have submitted a final report and the Legislature has had at least one full legislative session to consider and act upon the recommendations. If the Legislature does not take action limiting DNR's authority to lease state-owned aquatic lands for geoduck aquaculture, then DNR may resume leasing property for geoduck aquaculture. The rent and fees collected by DNR from the 23 leases must be deposited into the Geoduck Aquaculture Research Account. Additional requirements are added to the lease terms of state-owned aquatic lands leased for geoduck aquaculture. The Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) is required to assign all aquatic farmers registering with the department a number. DFW must require aquatic farmers who commercially farm geoduck to mark any aquaculture equipment and materials used to cultivate, protect, or harvest geoduck with the farmer's registration number. As a condition of registration, all aquatic farms are required to provide DFW with proof of abutting landowner notification of geoduck aquatic farming activities.