Amendment #570 to H4000

Wild Striped Bass Special Commission

Mr. Beaton of Shrewsbury moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

SECTION XXXX. There shall be a special commission to examine the status and impact of wild striped bass in  the Commonwealth.

SECTION XXXX. The commission shall examine and assess the impact that commercial harvesting and

sale have upon the population and viability of wild striped bass in the Commonwealth.  The commission shall equally consider the economic impact of the recreational striped bass fishery on the economy of the Commonwealth and the tax revenues that generated from it.

SECTION XXXX. The commission shall consist of a member of the Senate appointed by the President

of the Senate; a member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House

of Representatives; a member of the Senate appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; a member

of the House of Representatives appointed by the House Minority leader; the Secretary of the

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs or his designee who shall serve as Chair; the Commissioner of the Department of Public Health or his designee; the Secretary of the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development or his designee; a representative from the commercial

fishing industry; a representative from the Massachusetts Chapter of Stripers Forever; 2 independent representatives from the marine science industry who are experts in fisheries one of who shall be a senior scientist emeritus from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, to be chosen by the governor and a former chair of both the Department of Marine Fisheries Management Advisory Council and the New England Fisheries Management Council and a marine fisheries economist to be chosen by the Governor. The 13 members of the commission shall be appointed not later 90 days after the effective date of this act and shall serve until the completion of the report.

SECTION XXXX. The commission may hold public hearings to assist in the collection and evaluation of data and testimony.

SECTION XXXX. The commission shall prepare a written report detailing its findings and

recommendations together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those  recommendations into effect. The commission shall submit its report to the governor, the secretary of the commonwealth, the clerks of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Chairs of the house and senate committees on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, and the Chairs of the Joint Committee on Revenue  not later than March 1, 2015.