Anadromous fish recovery

AN ACT Relating to improving statewide coordination in support of 1
anadromous fish recovery; amending RCW 77.85.005; adding a new 2
section to chapter 77.85 RCW; 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 in recognition 5
of the cultural, treaty, economic, recreational, and legal importance 6
of salmon in Washington, many state agencies' role is to implement 7
policy and laws, and they devote significant program attention and 8
resources to supporting the recovery, viability, and protection of 9
anadromous fish. Further, the legislature recognizes the importance 10
of a coordinated approach to statewide salmon recovery not just 11
between state agencies, but also in partnership with the state's 12
tribal comanagers. The legislature intends to ensure that all 13
pertinent state agencies share in and support the mission of 14
recovering and protecting salmon in Washington by creating a venue 15
through which state agencies and tribes can come together to review 16
overall progress towards salmon recovery. However, the legislature 17
does not intend to reallocate among state agencies any existing 18
programs or responsibilities related to salmon recovery in Washington 19
through this act.20
H-3006.3
HOUSE BILL 2598
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Lekanoff, Bernbaum, Parshley, Ramel, Richards,
Pollet, Ryu, Nance, and Timmons
Read first time 01/20/26. Referred to Committee on Agriculture &
Natural Resources.
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Sec. 2. RCW 77.85.005 and 2009 c 345 s 9 are each amended to 1
read as follows: 2
(1) The legislature finds that repeated attempts to improve 3
salmonid fish runs throughout the state of Washington have failed to 4
((avert listings of )) recover salmon and steelhead runs that are 5
listed as threatened or endangered under the federal endangered 6
species act (16 U.S.C. Sec. 1531 et seq.). These ((listings)) 7
continued declines threaten the ((sport)) recreational, commercial, 8
and tribal fishing industries as well as the economic well-being and 9
vitality of vast areas of the state. It is the intent of the 10
legislature to ((begin)) strengthen activities required for the 11
recovery of salmon stocks as soon as possible, although the 12
legislature understands that successful recovery efforts may not be 13
realized for many years because of the life cycle of salmon and the 14
complex array of natural and human-caused problems they face.15
(2) The legislature finds that it is in the interest of the 16
citizens of the state of Washington for the state to retain primary 17
responsibility for managing the natural resources of the state, 18
rather than abdicate those responsibilities to the federal 19
government, and that the state may best accomplish this objective by 20
((integrating)) improved integration of local and regional recovery 21
activities into a statewide strategy that can make the most effective 22
use of provisions of federal laws allowing for a state lead in salmon 23
recovery, delivered through implementation activities consistent with 24
regional and watershed recovery plans. 25
(3) The legislature also ((finds that a )) supports the statewide 26
salmon recovery strategy ((must be developed and implemented through 27
an)) and recognizes the state's active public involvement process in 28
order to ensure public participation in, and support for, salmon 29
recovery. 30
(4) The legislature also finds that there is a substantial link 31
between the provisions of the federal endangered species act and the 32
federal clean water act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.).33
(5) The legislature further finds that effective habitat 34
protection and restoration is a vital component of salmon recovery 35
efforts. With amplified climate change effects and human population 36
growth, the legislature must protect what the state currently has and 37
will have in the future, and thus must vastly increase the scope and 38
scale of restoration, also including investments and inclusion of 39
salmon recovery in the growth management act. Therefore, it is the 40
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intent of the legislature to specifically address salmon habitat 1
protection and restoration for properly functioning watershed 2
conditions for salmon in a coordinated manner and to develop a 3
structure that allows for the coordinated delivery of federal, state, 4
tribal, and local assistance to communities for habitat projects that 5
will assist in the recovery and enhancement of salmon stocks. A 6
strong watershed-based locally implemented plan is essential for 7
local, regional, and statewide salmon recovery. 8
(6) The legislature also finds that credible scientific review 9
and oversight is essential for any salmon recovery effort to be 10
successful. 11
(7) The legislature further finds that it is important to monitor 12
the overall health of the salmon resource to determine if recovery 13
efforts are providing expected returns. It is important to monitor 14
salmon habitat projects and salmon recovery activities in a 15
coordinated manner to determine their effectiveness in order to 16
((secure)) maintain federal acceptance of the state's approach to 17
salmon recovery. Adaptive management ((cannot exist without 18
monitoring)) can only occur when the state has identified a baseline, 19
from which it can then monitor the benefits of its actions and how 20
the salmon and steelhead are responding to improved watershed 21
functions. For these reasons, the legislature believes that a 22
coordinated and integrated monitoring system should be ((developed 23
and implemented)) expanded. 24
(8) The legislature therefore finds that a coordinated framework 25
and enhanced leadership for responding to the salmon crisis is needed 26
immediately. To that end, the governor's salmon recovery office 27
((should be created to )) provides overall coordination of the state's 28
response; an independent science panel ((is needed to )) provides 29
scientific review and oversight; a coordinated state funding process 30
((should be established )) is implemented through a salmon recovery 31
funding board and the fish passage barrier removal board ; the 32
appropriate local or tribal government ((should)) provides local 33
leadership in identifying and sequencing habitat restoration and 34
acquisition projects to be funded by state agencies; habitat projects 35
should be implemented without delay; and a strong partnership between 36
federal, state, tribal, and locally based effort s to restore salmon 37
habitat ((should be established by providing )) provides a framework 38
to allow citizen volunteers to work effectively. 39
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(9) Furthermore, the legislature declares it to be the goal of 1
the state to support the recovery and enhancement of salmon and 2
steelhead stocks in order to support Washington's tribal treaty 3
obligations, support nontribal commercial and recreational fisheries, 4
and achieve the delisting and recovery of threatened or endangered 5
salmon and steelhead runs under the federal endangered species act. 6
State agencies should strive to apply the laws of the state of 7
Washington, and the rules and policies of the agency, to advance the 8
goal established in this section.9
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 77.85 10
RCW to read as follows: 11
(1) The salmon advisory commission is established to improve the 12
coordination and understanding of the habitat, harvest, hydro, 13
hatcheries, predation, and other factors that influence salmon and 14
steelhead recovery. The commission also shall consider existing 15
efforts and needs in all areas that influence salmon and steelhead 16
recovery, in order to identify gaps; receive and discuss monitoring 17
adaptive management needs; and develop recommendations to be 18
submitted to the governor and the legislature regarding agency 19
actions, legislation, and budget priorities to enhance salmon and 20
steelhead recovery. 21
(2) The salmon advisory commission includes the following 22
members: 23
(a) The director of the governor's office of Indian affairs, or 24
the director's designee; 25
(b)(i) Each elected chair of a federally recognized Indian tribe 26
whose traditional lands and territories include parts of Washington, 27
by invitation of the governor; 28
(ii) Each member invited pursuant to (b)(i) of this subsection 29
may designate an elected councilmember of a federally recognized 30
Indian tribe whose traditional lands and territories include parts of 31
Washington, to serve as the invited member's alternate;32
(c) The director, or the director's designee, of the following 33
agencies: 34
(i) The department of fish and wildlife; 35
(ii) The department of natural resources; 36
(iii) The department of ecology; 37
(iv) The Puget Sound partnership; 38
(v) The department of transportation; 39
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(vi) The department of archaeology and historic preservation;1
(vii) The recreation and conservation office; 2
(viii) The state conservation commission; 3
(ix) The department of agriculture; 4
(x) The parks and recreation commission; and 5
(xi) The department of health; 6
(d) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the house 7
of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of 8
representatives; 9
(e) One member from each of the two largest caucuses of the 10
senate, appointed by the president of the senate; and11
(f) Two representatives of cities and counties, appointed by the 12
governor. 13
(3) The salmon advisory commission shall choose cochairs from 14
among its legislative membership. One cochair must be a member of the 15
senate, and one cochair must be a member of the house of 16
representatives. 17
(4) The salmon advisory commission shall convene at least twice 18
per year. 19
(5) Staff support for the commission shall be provided by the 20
senate committee services and the house of representatives office of 21
program research. 22
(6) Legislative members of the salmon advisory commission are 23
reimbursed for travel expenses in accordance with RCW 44.04.120. 24
Nonlegislative members are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel 25
expenses if they are elected officials or are participating on behalf 26
of an employer, governmental entity, or other organization. Any 27
reimbursement for other nonlegislative members is subject to chapter 28
43.03 RCW. 29
(7) The salmon advisory commission shall provide semiannual 30
reports in accordance with RCW 43.01.036 on its activities including 31
any recommendations on agency actions, potential legislation, and 32
budget priorities to enhance salmon and steelhead recovery to the 33
governor and the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the 34
legislature. The first report is due by October 1, 2026, and 35
subsequent reports are due by June 1st and December 1st of each year.36
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