109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5732
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to continue stocking fish
in certain lakes in the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National
Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 29, 2006
Mr. HASTINGS of Washington (for himself, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr.
DICKS, and Miss MCMORRIS) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on Resources
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of the Interior to continue stocking fish
in certain lakes in the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National
Recreation Area, and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Findings- Congress finds the following:
(1) The North Cascades complex contains 245 mountain lakes, of which 91
have been historically stocked with fish.
(2) In many cases, the stocking of fish in these lakes dates back to the
1800s.
(3) This practice has been important to the economy of the area because
of the recreational opportunities it creates.
(4) During congressional hearings on the designation of the North Cascades
National Park, the Department of the Interior indicated that the practice
of fish stocking would be continued if the area became a unit of the National
Park Service system.
(5) Since designation of the National Park in 1968, the stocking of certain
lakes has continued under various agreements between the National Park
Service and the State of Washington.
(6) A recent 12-year university research effort found no statistically
significant long-term ecological impacts in lakes where fish populations
are non-reproducing in low densities.
(b) Purpose- The purpose of this bill is to clarify the continued authority
of the National Park Service to allow the stocking of fish in certain lakes
in the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area,
and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
SEC. 2. STOCKING OF CERTAIN LAKES IN NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK, ROSS
LAKE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, AND LAKE CHELAN NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.
(a) In General- The Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Director
of the National Park Service, shall authorize the stocking of fish in lakes
in the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area,
and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
(b) Conditions- The following conditions shall apply to stocking of lakes
under subsection (a):
(1) The Secretary shall stock fish only with the concurrence of and in
coordination with the State of Washington.
(2) The Secretary shall only select lakes to be stocked from the 91 lakes
that have historically had fish stocking.
(3) The Secretary shall only stock fish that are--
(A) native to the watershed; or
(B) functionally sterile.
END
