HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1941        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 737

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Antonio F. D. Cabral

_________________

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 to create the department of marine fisheries resources.

_______________

PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1941        FILED ON: 1/17/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 737

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

_______________

An Act to create the department of marine fisheries resources.

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 1 of chapter 130 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended in line 26 by striking out “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following: “division of marine fisheries resources.”

SECTION 2.Chapter 130 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out section 1A  and inserting in place thereof the following:

Section 1A.  The division of marine fisheries resources shall be within the department in the executive office of environmental affairs and shall be under the administrative supervision of a director who shall be called the director of marine fisheries resources.  The director of the division of marine fisheries resources shall be appointed and may be removed by the commissioner of the department of fish and game with the approval of the marine fisheries advisory commission.  The said division of marine fisheries resources shall:

(a) Promote and develop the commercial fishing industry; investigate improved methods of marketing and distributing commercial fish products within the commonwealth; and establish standards and design labels for the identification of commercial fish products processed, prepared or packed for distribution and for retail sales;

(b) Improve the conditions for fishermen, fish processors and other shore side industries;

(c) Collect and disseminate catch data as well as statistics about the fish and shellfish brought into, processed, marketed, stored or held within the commonwealth, and make such statistics available to the public from time to time and the location thereof;

(d) Arrange for lectures and issue for general distribution such publications best adapted to promote the interests of commercial fisheries;

(e) Establish and maintain properties at such places within the commonwealth for the purpose of propagating, rearing and protecting fish;

(f) Enter into agreements with public or private entities, including the University of Massachusetts, to perform fish counts and fish stock analyses or other fisheries research;

(g) Publish reports or recommendations based on fish counts, fish stock analyses or other fisheries research;

(h) Advise the Governor of the potential impact of regulation on the fishing industry and co-operate with all departments, boards, officials and institutions of the commonwealth or its subdivisions that may be concerned in any way with matters under its supervision;

(i) Co-operate with other states, with the United States of America or any agency thereof, with other nations and with any other agencies as may be authorized by the general court, and receive and dispense such funds from any of such agencies, states or governments as may be authorized by the general court; and

(j) Oversee the division of marine fisheries resources and all of its functions and administer all the laws relating to marine fisheries as appearing in chapter one hundred and thirty and any other general or special laws, except as pertain to the enforcement thereof.”

SECTION 3.Section 1B of chapter 130 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

SECTION 4.Section 74 of chapter 130 of the General Laws is hereby amended as follows:

(a)striking out, in line 1, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”; and

(b)striking out, in line 8, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”; and

(c)striking out, in lines 8-9, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(d)striking out, in line 26, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(e)striking out, in line 36, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(f)striking out, in line 40, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(g)striking out, in line 44, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(h)striking out, in lines 45-46, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(i)striking out, in lines 51-52, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(j)striking out, in line 58, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

(k)striking out, in lines 62-63, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

SECTION 5.Section 76 of chapter 130 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out, in line 1, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

SECTION 6.Section 77 of chapter 130 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2-3, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.

SECTION 7.Section 80 of chapter 130 of the General Laws is hereby amended by striking out, in line 25, the words “division of marine fisheries” and inserting in place thereof the following words:- “division of marine fisheries resources”.