WA HB1309

Creates an integrated pest management research program within the Washington State Department of Agriculture to develop control methods for burrowing shrimp infestations affecting shellfish farming in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor

Establishes a governing board to oversee the research program, including representatives from six state agencies, five shellfish growers, two processors, the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe, and industry/nonprofit organizations

Requires the program to solicit research proposals, provide controlled research grounds, identify funding for equipment needs, and assist growers with permitting for identified control methods

Shellfish growers lost their primary pest control tool in 2014 when carbaryl was phased out and imidacloprid permits were denied, leaving no effective method to combat burrowing shrimp that damage shellfish beds and destroy native eelgrass habitat

Program provisions expire July 1, 2035; effective date July 27, 2025