Budget Amendment ID: FY2013-S4-170

ENV 170

Annual Testing of Striped Bass

Messrs. Timilty, Richard T. Moore and Brownsberger moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding at the end thereof the following new Section:-

"SECTION X.   Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the department of environmental protection office of research and standards shall conduct an annual testing program on contaminants, including but not limited to mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxin, mirex, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, chlordane and dieldrin, in striped bass. The results of said research program shall be published annually and forwarded to the department of public health for the purpose of publishing warnings to the public should levels of contaminants in the striped bass cause health concerns related to consumption of the fish by pregnant women or the general population. The testing program shall be conducted so as to have the maximum impact for the safety of the general population based around the commercial and recreational striped bass fishing season in the commonwealth. Should there be a finding of elevated contaminants in striped bass by the department of environmental protection, the department of environmental protection shall inform the department of public health of said findings.  After an assessment of the findings by the department of public health, should further action be warranted, the department of public health shall direct the division of marine fisheries to institute a public health awareness and notification program for striped bass caught commercially and recreationally, and  the division of marine fisheries in conjunction with the department of public health shall institute a fish consumption warning labeling program for striped bass sold for human consumption in fish stores, fish markets, on docks or wharves in Massachusetts as well as other regional or national markets."