BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                                  SB 539
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   June 30, 2009

                   ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE
                            Jared William Huffman, Chair
                     SB 539 (Wiggins) - As Amended:  May 5, 2009

          SENATE VOTE  :   27-12
           
          SUBJECT  :   Salmon and Steelhead trout: Ocean Protection Trust  
          Fund

           SUMMARY  :   Authorizes moneys deposited in the Ocean Protection  
          Trust Fund to be expended, upon appropriation of the Legislature  
          and approval of the Ocean Protection Council (OPC), for grants,  
          loans, or direct expenditures on projects to restore native  
          salmon and steelhead trout populations or restore the health of  
          the state's salmon fishery.

           EXISTING LAW  :

          1)Establishes the Ocean Protection Trust Fund in the State  
            Treasury.  Authorizes moneys deposited in the fund to be  
            expended, upon appropriation of the Legislature, for projects  
            authorized by the OPC to, among other things, eliminate or  
            reduce threats to coastal and ocean ecosystems, improve the  
            management of fisheries through development of fishery  
            management plans, foster sustainable fisheries, improve  
            coastal water quality, increase public access to coastal  
            resources, and to fund adaptive management to climate change  
            impacts.

          2)Establishes the OPC in state government, consisting of the  
            Secretary of the Resources Agency, the Secretary of  
            Environmental Protection, the Chair of the State Lands  
            Commission, and 2 public members appointed by the Governor.

           FISCAL EFFECT  :   According to the Senate Appropriations  
          Committee, reduced funding of up to $4 million over several  
          years, available for other eligible uses (Proposition 84 bond  
          funds).

           COMMENTS  :   This bill expands the eligible uses of the Ocean  
          Protection Trust Fund to specifically include grants and loans  
          to public agencies or private entities to assist in restoration  
          of salmon and steelhead trout and restoration of the salmon  








                                                                  SB 539
                                                                  Page  2

          fishery.  The author points to the California salmon crisis, the  
          ban on all salmon fishing along the Pacific Coast of California,  
          and the affect the crisis is having on the livelihoods of  
          thousands of commercial fishermen, fish processors and charter  
          boat operators.  One of the missions of the OPC and the purposes  
          of the Ocean Trust Fund is to foster sustainable fisheries. The  
          author notes that while the OPC has engaged in fisheries  
          management issues, it has not yet focused much attention on the  
          collapse of California's salmon fishery.  This bill expressly  
          authorizes the OPC to use funds in the Ocean Protection Trust  
          Fund for grants, loans or direct expenditures on projects to  
          restore salmon.   

           REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION  :

           Support                                  Opposition  
          Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's AssociationsNone on file


           Analysis Prepared by :    Diane Colborn / W., P. & W. / (916)  
          319-2096