What's happening
This bill establishes a marine mammal and sea turtle protection area around Plum, Great Gull, and Little Gull Islands, with an advisory committee, and sunsets in 2028.
Why it matters
Protects critical habitats. for a variety of marine mammals (harbor seals, porpoises, gray seals) and several threatened sea turtle species by formally recognizing their habitat and enabling targeted conservation efforts in the defined area.
Empowers the Department of Environmental Conservation. to create and enforce rules against harassment and threats to these species, potentially improving their survival prospects and ecological health in the region.
Creates an interdisciplinary advisory committee. with representatives from government, academia, museums, and environmental organizations, ensuring diverse expertise guides management, research, and educational initiatives for the area.
Explicitly avoids new fishing restrictions,. which may help address concerns from local commercial and recreational fishers while still advancing marine conservation goals.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Sea Turtles and Seals
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.585
- Returned to assembly
- Died in senate
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.265
- Rules report cal.265
- Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to environmental conservation
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
8153
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
May 31, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to establishing the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 11 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new title 20-A to read as follows:
TITLE 20-A
MARINE MAMMAL AND SEA TURTLE PROTECTION AREA Section 11-2050. Establishment of the marine mammal and sea turtle
protection area.
11-2052. The marine mammal and sea turtle protection area advi-
sory committee. § 11-2050. Establishment of the marine mammal and sea turtle protection
area.
1. There shall be created the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area consisting of the waters in the area from mean high water seaward fifteen hundred feet, except further seaward in shallow areas to the outermost limit of waters fifteen feet in depth, around Plum Island, Great Gull Island and Little Gull Island. Such boundaries shall be described and depicted upon a map and a copy of any and all such documents shall be forwarded to the commissioner for inventory, research and reference purposes for the general public. Such protection area may also be designated as a New York state bird conservation area pursuant to section 11-2001 of this article.
2. For purposes of this title the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area shall mean:
(a) a site providing habitat to species including:
(i) harbor seals (Phoca vitulina);
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08096-02-7
A. 8153 2
(ii) harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena);
(iii) gray seals (Halichoerus grypus); and
(iv) sea turtle species including kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and leatherback (Dermochelys coreacia);
(b) presence of a state-designated natural protective feature; and
(c) location within the boundaries of two estuaries of national significance.
3. The department is authorized to promulgate regulations to prevent the harassment and for the protection of marine mammals and sea turtles within the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area. § 11-2052. The marine mammal and sea turtle protection area advisory
committee.
There shall be created within the department the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area advisory committee whose non-governmental members shall serve without pay, meet not less than twice each year, and whose sole purpose shall be to advise as to the management, educational research and utilization of the marine mammal and sea turtle protection area. Provided, however, the utilization of such area shall be consistent with the mission of the department pursuant to section 11-2050 of this title. In addition to representatives of the department, the advisory committee shall consist of, but not be limited to one representative each from the department of state, the marine resources advisory board, the office of parks, recreation and historic preservation, the state museum, American museum of natural history, Cornell laboratory of ornithology, environmental groups, marine education and research groups, the dean of the marine sciences research center at Stony Brook, the Suffolk county executive, and the town supervisors of Southold and Brookhaven. The commissioner may appoint additional members as appropriate, who shall serve at his or her pleasure.
§ 2. Nothing in this act shall be deemed to impose new fishing restrictions.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed April 1, 2028.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.