Commercial fishing revenue

AN ACT Relating to ensuring that commercial fishing revenue 1
benefits communities most dependent on the industry; amending RCW 2
82.27.070; and creating a new section. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that commercial 5
fishing is an important industry to Washington, and particularly to 6
the rural, coastal communities of southwest Washington. Upon landing 7
certain species of fish and shellfish, commercial fishers are subject 8
to the enhanced food fish excise tax, also known as the "landing 9
tax." Because the tax is paid to the state, it does not directly 10
support the communities on which the industry depends. In order to 11
serve the families residing in these communities, many of whom are 12
active participants in the commercial fishing industry, 13
municipalities need the resources to provide adequate public safety 14
services and transportation infrastructure. The legislature intends 15
to direct a portion of landing tax revenue to the communities that 16
host this important industry and ensure that they directly benefit 17
from the taxes paid by commercial fishers landing fish within their 18
jurisdiction.19
H-0930.1
HOUSE BILL 1806
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Tharinger, McEntire, Lekanoff, Bernbaum, Ramel,
Santos, Doglio, and Reed
Read first time 02/03/25. Referred to Committee on Finance.
p. 1 HB 1806
Sec. 2. RCW 82.27.070 and 2020 c 148 s 28 are each amended to 1
read as follows: 2
All taxes collected by the department of revenue under this 3
chapter shall be deposited in the state general fund except for the 4
following: 5
(1) The equivalent of 50 percent of the excise tax collected must 6
be distributed to the city in which the fish was landed;7
(2) The excise tax on anadromous game fish is deposited in the 8
fish, wildlife, and conservation account created in RCW 77.12.170(3)9
((.10
(2))), except for the equivalent of 50 percent of the tax 11
collected, which must be distributed to the city in which the fish 12
was landed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section; and13
(3) The excise tax on ocean waters, Columbia river, Willapa Bay, 14
and Grays Harbor chinook, coho, and chum salmon is deposited as 15
follows: 16
(a) The equivalent of ((five and twenty-five one-hundredths )) 17
2.65 percent shall be deposited in the state general fund((.));18
(b) The equivalent of one percent shall be deposited in the fish, 19
wildlife, and conservation account created in RCW 77.12.170(3); and20
(c) The equivalent of 2.625 percent must be distributed to the 21
city in which the fish was landed, pursuant to subsection (1) of this 22
section. 23
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p. 2 HB 1806