What's happening
This bill extends the Department of Environmental Conservation’s authority to manage the American eel in New York through 2022.
Why it matters
Ensures ongoing state oversight. By extending the Department of Environmental Conservation’s authority, the bill allows New York to continue managing American eel populations, which is vital for both ecosystem health and commercial/recreational fisheries.
Facilitates compliance with federal and interstate conservation efforts. Continued state management helps ensure New York remains in alignment with broader conservation strategies for the American eel, which migrates across state and national boundaries.
Provides regulatory stability for stakeholders. Fishermen, businesses, and conservation groups benefit from predictable management policies and can plan accordingly, reducing uncertainty and potential conflicts over resource use.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Eel Management Authority
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.235
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.199
- Substituted for A7882
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.1273
- Referred to rules
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.
Extend Eel Management Authority
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Yuh-Line Niou
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6386
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 7, 2019
Introduced by Sen. THOMAS -- (at request of the Department of Environmental Conservation) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Rules
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to extending the authority of the department of environmental conservation to manage the American eel
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraph b of subdivision 1 of section 13-0339-a of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 144 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows:
b. American eel (Anguilla rostrata) until December thirty-first, two thousand [nineteen] twenty-two,
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09098-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
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 the American eel
Purpose of the bill
The purpose of this bill is to extend the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage American eel.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill amends Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)
§ 13-0339-a(1)(b) to extend, until December 31, 2022, DEC's authority to fix by regulation measures for the management of American eel
(Anguilla rostrata).
Section 2 of this bill provides that the bill shall take effect imme- diately.
Statement in support
DEC's regulatory authority for American eel is necessary in order to preserve the current regulatory program. Failure to extend the existing regulatory authority by December 31, 2019 will result in the loss of regulatory protection for this species.
This bill would extend DEC's regulatory authority for American eel for an additional three years and ensure that DEC continues to comply with the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) adopted by Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission in 1999, and last amended in 2014. ECL § 13-0105, which sets forth the marine fisheries conservation and management policy, provides that one of the State's objectives shall be the management of the State's trans- boundary and migratory species consistent with any interjurisdictional management plans, interstate or state-federal. New York must have the ability to regulate the taking of American eel in New York waters consistent with the FMP. Moreover, failure to make necessary regulatory changes as may be required by the FMP could result in the closure of New York's American eel fishery.
Prior legislative history
ECL § 13-1339-a was added by Chapter 196 of the Laws of 1999. This authority was last extended by Chapter 141 of the Laws of 2016.
Fiscal implications
None. EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.