479 



STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES - EXHIBIT D 

 of food fish and shellfish. Protection of water quality 

 and quantity Is also a necessary objective of the Depart- 

 ment of Fisheries in terms of its statutory responsibilities. 

 Clean waters are essential for protecting^ maintaining, 

 and managing our fisheries resource. We accept the fol- 

 lowing definition of the term "water pollution": 



"The degradation or change of the physical, 

 chemical, or biological qualities of surface or ground waters 

 due to the activities of man, which adversely affect, directly 

 or indirectly, the growth, reproduction, behavior, physio- 

 logical condition, and survival of food fish and shellfish." 



The foregoing definition of water pollution 

 does not, in our opinion, preclude the discharge of treated 

 waste materials into public waters provided such treatment 

 is sufficient to prevent water quality Impairment. We be- 

 lieve that all marine and estuarial waters of the State 

 are food fish and shellfish areas. We also recognize that 

 it may be necessary to establish minimal marine water areas 

 for purposes of dilution of emitted waste matter. Estab- 

 lishment of a marine dilution area and the boundaries thereof 

 will be based upon the quantity and type of discharge, current 

 velocity, current direction, flushing rates and volume of the 

 receiving water within the particular area. The Department 

 of Fisheries should participate in the delineation of dilution 



