What's happening
This bill establishes a marine mammal and sea turtle protection area around Plum Island, Great Gull Island, and Little Gull Island, and creates an advisory committee for its management.
Why it matters
Protects critical habitats for multiple vulnerable marine species. including harbor seals, porpoises, gray seals, and several threatened or endangered sea turtles—by formally designating waters around Plum Island and the Gull Islands as a protected area, highlighting the region’s ecological importance.
Prioritizes science-based management. by requiring the mapping and documentation of the protection area and establishing an advisory committee with representatives from state agencies, research institutions, museums, local governments, and environmental groups, ensuring diverse expertise guides decisions.
Empowers the state to create regulations specifically aimed at preventing harassment and enhancing protection for marine mammals and sea turtles. in these waters, potentially strengthening conservation efforts and filling regulatory gaps.
Clarifies that no new fishing restrictions are imposed by this bill. , seeking to balance marine protection with the interests of local fishers and avoiding direct economic impacts on existing fisheries.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Protect Marine Mammals and Turtles
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Approval memo.50
- Signed chap.661
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- 3rd reading cal.1404
- Substituted for S5871
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Advanced to third reading cal.532
- Reported
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Protect Sea Turtles and Seals
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Monica Martinez
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6520
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 11, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT, LAVINE, BARNWELL, D'URSO, RAMOS, RAYNOR, JEAN-PIERRE, GLICK, THIELE, GRIFFIN, SOLAGES, STERN -- 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 certain 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:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10153-02-9
A. 6520 2
(i) harbor seals (Phoca vitulina);
(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; provided, however, that section 11-2052 of the environmental conservation law, as added by section one of this act, shall expire and be deemed repealed April 1, 2030.
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.