BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 470|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 470
Author: Evans (D)
Amended: 5/31/11
Vote: 21
SENATE NAT. RESOURCES & WATER COMMITTEE : 7-0, 4/12/11
AYES: Pavley, La Malfa, Cannella, Evans, Fuller, Kehoe,
Wolk
NO VOTE RECORDED: Padilla, Simitian
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-2, 5/26/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Emmerson, Lieu, Pavley, Price,
Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Runner
SUBJECT : Commercial fishing: salmon stamp
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill extends the sunset of a requirement
that commercial salmon fishermen purchase a commercial
salmon stamp, and extends the sunset of code provisions
authorizing the expenditure of commercial salmon stamp
revenues.
ANALYSIS : Section 7862 of the Fish and Game Code
establishes the Commercial Salmon Trollers Advisory
Committee (Committee), consisting of six members, selected
by the Director of the Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
The Committee is charged with recommending programs and a
CONTINUED
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budget for expenditures from the account to DFG, whom must
include this information to the Legislature through the
Governor's Budget. DFG may only recommend funding for
programs that have been recommended by the Committee.
Under current law, commercial salmon fishermen pay for a
commercial salmon stamp. The commercial salmon stamp cost
is $85 plus an additional fee determined by a formula based
on the previous year's total industry catch. The maximum
fee is $260. The 2011-12 commercial salmon stamp costs
$87.55 (which reflects last year's very poor commercial
salmon season).
Fee revenues are deposited into the Commercial Salmon Stamp
Account within the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. These
funds are continuously appropriated to DFG to fund programs
to enhance commercial salmon fishing, including habitat
restoration projects and salmon hatchery operations.
Current law caps administrative expenditures at 3.3 percent
of total expenditures. Current law creates a Commercial
Salmon Trollers Advisory Committee to recommend projects
for funding from the program. These statutory requirements
sunset on January 1, 2012.
This bill extends the sunset date of these provisions to
January 1, 2014, allows administrative costs to be set at
15 percent of expenditures, and requires specified
expenditure reporting by DFG.
Background
A commercial fishing permit from DFG is required for the
commercial take of fish. Commercial salmon fishermen are
also required to purchase a commercial fishing salmon stamp
under Section 7860 of the Fish and Game Code. The base
cost of the permit is $85. However, if more than
three-million pounds of commercial troll salmon were landed
in the previous year, the permit fee may be increased based
on the salmon landed, with a cap of $260. The 2011-2012
commercial fishing stamp costs $87.55, which is reflective
of last year's poor salmon season.
Proceeds from the commercial salmon stamp, less
administrative costs which are capped at 3.3 percent, are
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to be deposited in the Commercial Salmon Stamp Account
(account) in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. Monies in
the fund are continuously appropriated to DFG for salmon
restoration and enhancement programs to increase open
salmon landings, and for other related purposes. Thirty
dollars of the salmon stamp fee must be used by DFG for the
hatchery production of Chinook salmon that are to be
released into state waters. DFG must match the stamp monies
used for the hatcheries with non-stamp funds.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
Future Stamp revenues Between
($200) and ($500) per year Special*
Future restoration and Between $170
and $425 per year Special*
hatchery operations
Allowed admin. costs Between $30
and $75 per year Special*
Admin. Subsidy from Up to $45 per yearSpecial*
other accounts
*Fish and Game Preservation Fund
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/27/11) (prior version)
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author's office,
"Fishermen know that rearing salmon and restoring their
habitat is key to bringing back California's once great
runs of salmon. That is why commercial fishermen have been
willing to tax themselves through the Salmon Stamp Program
to supplement Department of Fish and Game rearing and
restoration projects. This year, our salmon fisheries are
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on the rebound after several years of serious declines and
closures. And this year, unless we pass SB 470, the Salmon
Stamp program expires, taking with it one of the state's
key tools to finance salmon recovery."
CTW:do 5/31/11 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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