Relates to management of whelk and conch

BILL NUMBER:S4853

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to extending the authority of the department of environmental conservation to manage whelk and conch

Purpose of the Bill:

The purpose of this bill is to extend the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage whelk and conch.

Summary of Provisions:

Section 1 of this bill amends Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) 13-0330(6) to extend, until December 31, 2017, the authority of DEC to fix by regulation measures for the management of whelk and conch.

Section 2 of this bill provides that the bill shall take effect immediately.

Existing Law:

ECL § 13-0330 grants DEC regulatory authority, until December 31, 2015, for the management of whelk.

Prior Legislative History:

DEC's regulatory authority to manage whelk was last extended by Chapter 40 of the Laws of 2013.

Statement in Support:

Failure to extend the existing regulatory authority by December 31, 2015 will result in the loss of regulatory protection for whelk. The depletion of the lobster population on Long Island has resulted in a sharp increase in the demand for whelk and conch licenses, as well as an increase in the taking of other carnivorous snails, including moon snails. This increase has raised concerns with regard to the stability of the population of carnivorous snails. A recent Long Island Sound Trawl Survey conducted by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has shown a decrease in the weight of conch surveyed. This decrease indicates that the species is currently over-harvested. Extending DEC's authority to regulate whelk and conch is essential to maintaining the population and ensuring a robust number for future harvests.

Budget implications:

None.

Local impact:

This bill would have no impact on local governments.

Effective Date:

This act shall take effect immediately.