The Senate Agriculture, Water, Natural Resources & Parks Committee heard Jan. 16 testimony on Senate Bill 5076, which would authorize a new class of non‑spot shrimp pot Puget Sound commercial licenses and allow holders of existing shrimp trawl Puget Sound commercial licenses to convert those trawl licenses to pot licenses.

Under current law, Puget Sound shrimp commercial licenses are a limited‑entry fishery. Committee staff said there are five shrimp trawl licenses in existence. The bill would create a non‑spot shrimp pot license with the same resident ($335) and nonresident ($720) annual fees as existing licenses, limit the combined number of shrimp trawl and non‑spot pot licenses to five, and permanently retire any shrimp trawl license converted to a non‑spot shrimp pot license. Converted pot licenses would be restricted to the non‑spot shrimp resources previously allocated to the trawl permits; license holders may apply to the Department of Fish and Wildlife to modify gear via director‑issued permit. Staff estimated implementation costs of about $79,000 for rulemaking and IT changes.

Senator Mazzal, the bill’s sponsor, said conversion could reduce environmental impacts of bottom trawling and would not increase aggregate quotas. “It wouldn't increase the quota by any amount,” Mazzal said, adding the change is voluntary and would let some permit holders choose gear that is less harmful to bottom habitat.

Commercial fisherman Joe Rodos, one of the five permit holders, testified that conversion is voluntary and that at least one current permit holder would not convert in the short term. He argued pots can allow smaller shrimp to escape and lead to healthier average sizes in the catch.

Kyle Crews, president of the Puget Sound Shrimp Association, said trawling is widely seen as damaging to habitat and urged the legislature to consider stronger measures — including mandatory conversion, buybacks or an outright ban — if the policy goal is to end trawling rather than create a voluntary conversion pathway. Crews said voluntary conversion as drafted could create loopholes that extend trawling indefinitely.

The committee heard and closed public testimony on Jan. 16; no vote was recorded at that hearing.