(1) The governor shall, with the assistance of the governor’s salmon recovery office, maintain and revise, as appropriate, a statewide salmon recovery strategy.

(2) The governor and the governor’s salmon recovery office shall be guided by the following considerations in maintaining and revising the strategy:

(a) The strategy should identify statewide initiatives and responsibilities with regional recovery plans and local watershed initiatives as the principal means for implementing the strategy;

(b) The strategy should emphasize collaborative, incentive-based approaches;

(c) The strategy should address all factors limiting the recovery of Washington’s listed salmon stocks, including habitat and water quality degradation, harvest and hatchery management, inadequate streamflows, and other barriers to fish passage. Where other limiting factors are beyond the state’s jurisdictional authorities to respond to, such as some natural predators and high seas fishing, the strategy shall include the state’s requests for federal action to effectively address these factors;

(d) The strategy should identify immediate actions necessary to prevent extinction of a listed salmon stock, establish performance measures to determine if restoration efforts are working, recommend effective monitoring and data management, and recommend to the legislature clear and certain measures to be implemented if performance goals are not met;

(e) The strategy shall rely on the best scientific information available and provide for incorporation of new information as it is obtained;

(f) The strategy should seek a fair allocation of the burdens and costs upon economic and social sectors of the state whose activities may contribute to limiting the recovery of salmon; and

(g) The strategy should seek clear measures and procedures from the appropriate federal agencies for removing Washington’s salmon stocks from listing under the federal act.

(3) If the strategy is updated, an active and thorough public involvement process, including early and meaningful opportunity for public comment, must be utilized. In obtaining public comment, the governor’s salmon recovery office shall work with regional salmon recovery organizations throughout the state and shall encourage regional and local recovery planning efforts to ensure an active public involvement process.

(4) This section shall apply prospectively only and not retroactively. Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate actions taken in recovery planning at the local, regional, or state level prior to July 1, 1999.

Finding—Intent—2009 c 345: See notes following RCW 77.85.030.

Severability—Effective date—1999 sp.s. c 13: See notes following RCW 77.85.005.