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Wholesale fish buyers and limited fish sellers in Washington will need to increase their surety bond per the passage of HB 1597. The new law takes effect on January 1, 2018—keep reading to see what other changes the bill will bring.
HB 1597 is Washington’s effort to ease the financial burden on the commercial fishing industry because of its “benefit to the state as a whole, but particularly to coastal communities.”�The bill amends and adds several terms to define persons in the commercial fishing industry:
- “Anadromous game fish buyer” and its definition is removed from the Revised Code of Washington (RCW)
- “Fish buyer” and its definition are removed from the RCW
- “Fish broker” is redefined to mean “a person who facilitates the sale or purchase of raw or frozen fish or shellfish on a fee or commission basis, without assuming title to the fish or shellfish”
- “Fish dealer” is a person who engages in activities that would require a fish dealer license per RCW 77.65.280 (as revised in Section 29 of the bill)
- “Limited fish seller†is a licensed commercial fisherman who sells to someone other than a wholesale fish buyer, triggering the requirement to become a limited fish seller per RCW 77.65.510 (as revised in Section 41 of the bill)
- “Wholesale fish dealer” is replaced with “wholesale fish buyer” and amended to mean a person engaged in fish buying or selling activity that will require a wholesale fish buyers’ license per RCW 77.65.340, as revised in Section 33 of HB 1597
The changes to the circumstances under which wholesale fish buyers’, limited fish sellers’, and fish dealers’ licenses (also called endorsements) are required are detailed in HB 1597. Wholesale fish buyers must be licensed in order to:
- Take first possession of fish or shellfish directly from a commercial fisherman in Washington
- Take first possession of fish or shellfish from interstate or foreign commerce
- To engage in wholesale buying or selling of fish or shellfish harvested by Indian fishermen
Their licensing fees have increased�resident wholesale fish buyers must pay a $245 endorsement fee, up from $95. Nonresident wholesale fish buyers must now pay a $320 fee. The application fee for both remains at $105.
Limited fish sellers are licensed or endorsed to sell commercially harvested fish to customers at retail. It can be issued as an addition to any commercial fishing license. Limited fish sellers must follow food safety standards when selling fish. The fee for a limited fish seller endorsement is set at $70 for residents and $140 for nonresidents. Commercial fishing license holders must be endorsed as a limited fish seller or a wholesale fish buyer in order to sell to anyone other than licensed wholesale fish buyers.
Both wholesale fish buyers and limited fish sellers need a surety bond�previously only buyers (formerly called dealers) needed the bond. Wholesale fish buyers must now post a $2,000 surety bond, up from $1,000. Limited fish sellers are mandated to post a $1,000 surety bond. The Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife can increase the surety bond amount if the buyers or sellers have previously violated rules for the accounting of commercial harvesting. The bond is in place to ensure that buyers and sellers pay all fees required by the state, as well as adhering to state rules for the accounting of commercially harvested fish and shellfish.
Ready to get a Washington surety bond? Get in touch with Single Source Insurance today!