(1) The department, upon the receipt of an application for a lease for the purpose of planting and cultivating oyster beds or for the purpose of cultivating clams or other edible shellfish, shall notify the director of fish and wildlife of the filing of the application describing the tidelands or beds of navigable waters applied for. The director of fish and wildlife shall cause an inspection of the lands applied for to be made and shall make a full report to the department of the director's findings as to whether it is necessary, in order to protect existing natural oyster beds, and to secure adequate seeding of the lands, to retain the lands described in the application for lease or any part of the lands, and in the event the director deems it advisable to retain the lands or any part of the lands for the protection of existing natural oyster beds or to guarantee the continuance of an adequate seed stock for existing natural oyster beds, the lands shall not be subject to lease. However, if the director determines that the lands applied for or any part of the lands may be leased, the director shall so notify the department and the director shall cause an examination of the lands to be made to determine the presence, if any, of natural oysters, clams, or other edible shellfish on the lands, and to fix the rental value of the lands for use for oyster, clam, or other edible shellfish cultivation. In the report to the department, the director shall recommend a minimum rental for the lands and an estimation of the value of the oysters, clams, or other edible shellfish, if any, then present on the lands applied for. The lands approved by the director for lease may then be leased to the applicant for a period of not less than five years nor more than ten years at a rental not less than the minimum rental recommended by the director of fish and wildlife. In addition, before entering upon possession of the land, the applicant shall pay the value of the oysters, clams, or other edible shellfish, if any, then present on the land as determined by the director, plus the expense incurred by the director in investigating the quantity of oysters, clams, or other edible shellfish, present on the land applied for.

     (2) When issuing new leases or reissuing existing leases the department shall not permit the commercial harvest of subtidal hardshell clams by means of hydraulic escalating when the upland within five hundred feet of any lease tract is zoned for residential development.

[2005 c 155 § 703; 1994 c 264 § 68; 1987 c 374 § 1; 1982 1st ex.s. c 21 § 136. Formerly RCW 79.96.030.]