What's happening
This bill extends the Department of Environmental Conservation's authority to manage weakfish through 2022.
Why it matters
Ensures continued state-level control over weakfish management. , allowing New York to quickly adapt regulations (like size limits or fishing seasons) in response to changing environmental or population conditions, rather than waiting for new legislation.
Keeps New York in compliance with regional and federal conservation plans. , which helps avoid federal intervention or penalties that could arise if the state fails to meet Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or federal requirements.
Supports the sustainability of weakfish populations. , which is important for commercial and recreational fishers, local economies, and the overall health of marine ecosystems in New York's coastal waters.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Extend Weakfish Protections
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 8
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.238
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.223
- Substituted for A8046
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 60–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.1276
- 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 Weakfish Management Authority
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Steve Stern
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6396
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
June 7, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BROOKS -- (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 weakfish
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 13-0340-a of the environmental conservation law, as amended by chapter 148 of the laws of 2016, is amended to read as follows: § 13-0340-a. Weakfish (Cynoscion regalis).
The department may, until December thirty-first, two thousand [nineteen] twenty-two, fix by regulation measures for the management of weakfish (Cynoscion regalis), including size limits, catch and possession limits, open and closed seasons, closed areas, restrictions on the manner of taking and landing, requirements for permits and eligibility therefor, recordkeeping requirements, requirements on the amount and type of fishing effort and gear, and requirements relating to transportation, possession and sale, provided that such regulations are no less restrictive than requirements set forth in this chapter and provided further that such regulations are consistent with the compliance requirements of applicable fishery management plans adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and with applicable provisions of fishery management plans adopted pursuant to the Federal Fishery Conservation and Management Act (16 U.S.C. § 1800 et seq.).
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09102-01-9
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 weakfish
Purpose of the bill
The purpose of this bill is to extend the authority of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage weakfish.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of this bill amends Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)
§ 13-0340-a to extend, until December 31, 2022, DEC's authority to fix by regulation measures for the management of weakfish (Cynoscion regal- is).
Section 2 of this bill provides that the bill shall take effect imme- diately.
Statement of support
DEC's regulatory authority for weakfish 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 weakfish.
This bill would extend DEC's regulatory authority for an additional three years, and ensure that DEC continues to maintain compliance with the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Weakfish, adopted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. 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 transboundary and migratory species consistent with any interjurisdictional management plans, interstate or state-federal. More- over, failure to make necessary regulatory changes as may be required by the FMP could result in the closure of New York's weakfish fishery.
Prior legislative history
Regulatory authority to manage weakfish was provided to DEC by Chapter 560 of the Laws of 1992. DEC's regulatory authority was last extended by Chapter 148 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.