SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1720        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 365

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Richard T. Moore

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the economic value and revenue generation of the Atlantic Striped Bass.

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PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1720        FILED ON: 1/21/2011

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 365

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Eleven

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An Act relative to the economic value and revenue generation of the Atlantic Striped Bass.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

                SECTION 1.  Section 100A of chapter 130 of the general laws, as appearing in the 2008 Official Edition is hereby amended by adding at the end thereof the following new section:--

                Section 100B.  Conservation and management measures concerning the commercial taking of the striped bass including but not limited to the length of the commercial season, the number of permits issued for the commercial season and the total number of striped bass by fish count or poundage allowed to be landed shall take into account the following measures: the prevention of overfishing, the rebuilding of overfished stocks, the impact of these proposed rules and regulations on the economic value of the recreational catch, the impact on the economy of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the impact on tax revenues generated for the Commonwealth by the recreational fishery from the sales, meals, hotel/motel, fuel and income taxes.  The Director and the Marine Fisheries Advisory Board must take into consideration the economic importance of the recreational striped bass fishery to the Commonwealth and the potential effects of proposed management measures on the tax revenues of the Commonwealth.  All such approved rules and regulations shall be accompanied with a fiscal note detailing any said potential or anticipated impacts and said fiscal note shall be forwarded to the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Revenue, the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture and the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development.