BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 470 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 470 (Evans) As Amended May 31, 2011 2/3 vote SENATE VOTE :32-6 WATER, PARKS & WILDLIFE 8-2APPROPRIATIONS 11-5 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Huffman, Blumenfield, |Ayes:|Fuentes, Blumenfield, | | |Campos, Fong, Gatto, | |Bradford, Charles | | |Roger Hernández, Olsen, | |Calderon, Campos, Gatto, | | |Yamada | |Hall, Hill, Lara, | | | | |Mitchell, Solorio | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| |Nays:|Halderman, Jones |Nays:|Harkey, Donnelly, | | | | |Nielsen, Norby, Wagner | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Extends for two years the existing requirement for all persons taking salmon for commercial purposes to purchase a commercial fishing salmon stamp. Specifically, this bill : 1)Extends the sunset clause on the requirement for purchase of a commercial fishing salmon stamp to January 1, 2014. The requirement otherwise will sunset at the end of this year. 2)Deletes the continuous appropriation of funds in the Commercial Salmon Stamp Account (Account) and instead makes the money in the Account available to the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) upon appropriation by the Legislature. 3)Requires DFG to post on its Internet Web site information about projects funded with funds from the Account. 4)Prohibits more than 15% of the funds in the Account from being used for administration costs. EXISTING LAW : 1)Prohibits any person over 18 years of age from taking salmon for commercial purposes, or being on board a commercial salmon SB 470 Page 2 fishing vessel, unless the person has a commercial fishing salmon stamp affixed to their commercial fishing license. 2)Requires DFG to issue a commercial fishing salmon stamp after application and payment of a specified fee, which varies by statute from $85 to $260, depending on the amount of commercial landings of salmon the prior season. 3)Requires DFG, after deducting administrative costs, to deposit the fees from sale of commercial fishing salmon stamps into the Account in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund. The money in the Account is continuously appropriated to DFG for new or expanded salmon restoration and enhancement programs that increase ocean salmon landings. 4)Prohibits expenditure of more than 3.3% of annual expenditures from the Account from being used for administrative overhead costs. SB 470 Page 3 1)Requires $30 of the salmon stamp fee to be used for the hatchery production of chinook salmon that are to be released into state waters. Requires DFG to match the stamp monies used for the hatcheries with non-stamp funds. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, consistent with past stamp proceeds, annual revenue of between $170,000 to $520,000, 15% of which DFG may use for administrative costs. (Fish and Game Preservation Fund.) COMMENTS : Current law requires purchase of a commercial salmon stamp to fish for salmon commercially. The stamp requirement was put into law with support of commercial salmon fishermen who recognized the need for conservation and management of the resource and were willing to, in essence, charge themselves to provide a source of supplemental funding for that purpose. The stamp fees are used for salmon restoration and enhancement programs. The fee for the stamp varies from a minimum of $85 to as high as $260, depending on the volume of landings the prior season. The 2011-12 commercial salmon stamp cost $87.55, which reflects the poor level of last year's commercial salmon season. This bill extends operation of the salmon stamp requirement, which will otherwise sunset on January 1, 2012, for two years to January 1, 2014, and also makes two other changes. The first change deletes the continuous appropriation and the second raises the ceiling on the percentage of expenditures from the fund which may go to administrative costs from 3.3% to 15%. In recent years, due to the decline in salmon runs, revenues into the Account have been only about $50,000 per year. More typically, the stamp program has generated between $170,000 and $520,000 annually and has generated over $14 million during its lifetime. This bill is supported by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations, which includes commercial salmon fishermen responsible for paying the stamp fee. There is no registered opposition to this bill. Analysis Prepared by : Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916) 319-2096 SB 470 Page 4 FN: 0001508