SHB 1309
SignedHouse
Burrowing shrimp
Addressing the impacts of burrowing shrimp on bottom culture shellfish farming through integrated pest management research.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill creates a research program to develop new ways to control burrowing shrimp, which have severely damaged shellfish farms and marine ecosystems in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor since the loss of current chemical controls like carbaryl and imidacloprid. It establishes a dedicated research fund, a stakeholder-led governing board, and a research program focused on practical, science-based solutions.
- Establishes a new Integrated Pest Management Research Program within the Washington State Department of Agriculture to study and develop control methods for burrowing shrimp in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor.
- Creates a $2,000,000 per biennium research account funded by transfers from the Model Toxics Control Act account, with expenditures limited to burrowing shrimp research in the specified estuaries.
- Forms a governing board with representatives from state agencies, shellfish growers, processors, the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, and environmental nonprofits to oversee the research program and guide funding decisions using consensus-based decision-making.
- Requires the program to support research on both chemical and mechanical control methods, solicit proposals from experts in marine biology and related fields, and assist growers with permitting for approved control tools.
- Reenacts and amends RCW 43.79A.040 to include the new *Burrowing Shrimp Research Account* in the list of accounts that receive investment earnings from the state treasurer’s trust fund.
- Sets a sunset date of July 1, 2035 for most of the bill’s provisions, with two sections (Sections 5 and 6, related to investment earnings allocation) taking effect on July 1, 2030, and expiring on July 1, 2030, and July 1, 2035, respectively.
Who is affected
- Bottom culture shellfish farmers — Shellfish farmers in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor are directly affected, as burrowing shrimp damage their growing areas, reduce productivity, and threaten their livelihoods due to the loss of current pest control tools.
- Shellfish processors — Shellfish processors in the affected regions may face reduced supply or quality of shellfish due to declining farm productivity caused by shrimp infestations.
- Tribal nations and communities — Tribal communities with cultural, subsistence, and economic ties to coastal estuaries—especially Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe—may be impacted by ecosystem changes, including loss of eelgrass that supports salmon and Dungeness crab.
- State agencies — State agencies—including Agriculture, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, Natural Resources, and Commerce—will be required to participate in the new governing board and implement research and permitting activities under the bill.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The $2 million biennial research account and stakeholder-led governance structure directly support shellfish farmers in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor—many of whom are small, family-run operations—by funding science-based solutions to save their livelihoods. Burrowing shrimp have already caused severe economic losses; this program could prevent further farm closures and job losses in a region where shellfishing is a primary economic engine.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)(a), Sec. 4By funding research into both chemical and mechanical control methods—and requiring stakeholder input from tribes, environmental nonprofits, and growers—the bill promotes ecosystem-based solutions that aim to protect eelgrass and marine habitat. This could help restore native species like salmon and Dungeness crab, benefiting fisheries and tribal subsistence/cultural practices. The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe’s formal inclusion ensures tribal ecological knowledge is integrated into research design.
EnvironmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(a), Sec. 3(b)-(f)The requirement to provide permitting assistance and use consensus-based decision-making lowers barriers for small-scale growers to adopt new tools. This reduces regulatory friction and increases the likelihood that scientifically sound, field-tested solutions reach the ground quickly—helping prevent further business closures in an already stressed industry.
Business & EmploymentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(d), Sec. 3(d)The governing board includes direct representation from shellfish growers, processors, tribes, and environmental nonprofits—ensuring that solutions reflect on-the-ground realities and ecological limits. This inclusive design helps prevent regulatory capture and ensures that proposed controls are both practical and protective of public resources like clean water and healthy fisheries.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 3(b)-(f)The bill creates a dedicated, ring-fenced research account funded by transfer from the MTCA account—meaning the program is not subject to annual budget cuts or political uncertainty. This stability allows for multi-year research planning, which is essential for complex ecological interventions like pest control in estuaries.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 4
Potential Concerns (4)
The bill diverts $2 million per biennium from the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) account to fund the burrowing shrimp research program. While no new general fund appropriation is required, this transfer reduces available MTCA funding for cleanup of toxic sites, potentially slowing remediation of contaminated sites across Washington—especially in communities near Superfund sites like the Hanford Nuclear Reservation or Puget Sound cleanup zones. The MTCA account is a dedicated environmental cleanup fund, and its reduction could delay cleanup of legacy pollution that affects public health and ecosystems.
FinancialRef: Sec. 4The bill restricts research funding to projects that support control of burrowing shrimp *only* in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor, and explicitly excludes methods previously demonstrated as ineffective. While this focuses resources, it may prevent exploration of broader or experimental approaches that could yield more robust or scalable solutions—potentially limiting long-term adaptability if shrimp spread to other estuaries (e.g., Puget Sound, San Juan Islands). This narrow geographic and methodological scope could delay broader ecosystem protection if infestations expand.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(4)The bill requires the program to provide permitting assistance for shellfish growers using approved control methods, but does not guarantee faster or more reliable permitting. State agencies already face permitting backlogs, and adding new responsibilities without dedicated staffing or funding could strain existing resources—potentially delaying implementation even after a control method is identified. Growers may still face delays in deploying new tools despite assistance.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(d)The bill includes a 2035 sunset for most provisions, meaning the program must be reauthorized or made permanent by future legislatures. This creates uncertainty for long-term planning by researchers, agencies, and growers, and risks losing momentum if political priorities shift. Without a permanent statutory framework, the program’s sustainability is not assured.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 7 & 9
Who Is Most Affected
Shellfish farmers in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor are the primary direct beneficiaries—many are small, family-run operations facing existential threats from shrimp infestations. The bill directly funds research to save their livelihoods and provides permitting support, reducing regulatory barriers to adopting new tools.
Tribal nations—especially the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe—gain formal inclusion in governance and research design, supporting cultural and subsistence uses of estuaries. Eelgrass restoration could improve salmon and Dungeness crab populations critical to tribal food security and ceremonial practices.
Shellfish processors may benefit from more stable supply chains if grower operations stabilize, but they are not direct fund recipients. Any benefit is indirect and depends on successful implementation of control measures over time.
State agencies (Agriculture, Ecology, Fish and Wildlife, etc.) gain new responsibilities and authority but face increased workload and coordination demands. While they receive funding support, they must divert staff time to implement the program—potentially stretching existing resources thin.
The broader public may benefit from improved ecosystem health (e.g., eelgrass recovery supporting salmon and crab) and protection of a key coastal industry. However, the MTCA transfer reduces funds for toxic site cleanup, potentially slowing remediation in communities near contaminated sites—disproportionately affecting low-income and rural communities near legacy pollution.