Chapter 226
2011 -- S 0997
Enacted 07/01/11
A N A C T
RELATING TO FISH
AND WILDLIFE -- THE
Introduced By: Senators Sosnowski, Sheehan, McCaffrey, Walaska, and Felag
Date Introduced: June 01, 2011
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 20 of the General Laws entitled "FISH
AND WILDLIFE" is hereby
amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER
38
THE
20-38-1.
Short title. – This chapter shall be known and
may be cited as the “Rhode
20-38-2.
Legislative findings. – The general assembly
hereby finds that there are
currently insufficient resources and information necessary to
support
fishermen and small businesses and ensure the best possible
economic and environmental
outcomes for the creation of more locally produced sustainable
food systems, that in particular
includes seafood, in the State of
20-38-3.
Definitions. – When used in this chapter, the
following terms shall have the
following meanings:
(1) “Collaborative”
means the
under section 20-38-4;
(2) “
of
(3) “State agencies”
means state entities responsible for the implementation of Rhode
Island’s fishery management and economic development, including,
but not be limited to:
(i)
The department of environmental management, which shall include:
(A) The division of
agricultural and resource management,
(B) The division of
fish and wildlife marine program;
(ii) The economic
development corporation;
(iii) The coastal
resources management council;
(iv)
The department of health;
(v) The department of
administration.
(4) “Aquaculture”
means the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, crustaceans,
mollusks and aquatic plants.
(5) “Sustainable food
system” means one in which resources (including natural resources
such as soil and water, as well as human resources such as
labor) are used at or below their rate of
recovery.
(6) “Seafood dealers”
means any person engaged in purchasing, raising, propagating,
breeding, or acquiring or possessing live fish or fish eggs to
be sold or furnished to others for the
purpose of resale licensed in the State of
(7) “Locally landed”
means legally produced species of fish or aquaculture caught by a
vessel landing and licensed to fish in the State of
20-38-4.
Collaborative established. – (a) There is
hereby created an interagency
collaborative known as “The
(9) members as follows:
(1) The director of
the department of environmental management or his or her designee,
who shall serve as chairperson;
(2) The director of
the economic development corporation, or his or her designee;
(3) The chief of the
division of fish and wildlife in marine management, or his or her
designee;
(4) The director of
department of health, or his or her designee;
(5) The chief of the
division of agricultural management of the department of
environmental management, or his or her designee;
(6) The executive
director of the coastal resources management council, or his or her
designee;
(7) The director of
administration, or his or her designee;
(8) The dean of the
sciences, or his or her designee; and
(9) One
representative of higher education to be appointed by the senate president.
(b) Forthwith upon
the passage of this chapter, the members of the collaborative shall
meet at the call of the chairperson and organize.
Thereafter, the collaborative shall meet quarterly
and at the call of the chairperson or three (3) members
of the collaborative.
(c) All departments
and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice and information,
documentation, and otherwise to the collaborative and its agents as
is deemed necessary or
desirable by the collaborative to facilitate the purposes of this
chapter.
(d) The members of
the collaborative shall receive no compensation for their services.
20-38-5.
Powers and duties. – The collaborative shall
support and work collaboratively
with the
Island seafood, including but not limited to:
(1) Identify
regulatory restrictions preventing and/or inhibiting local seafood marketing
initiatives and identify opportunities to remove those regulatory
restrictions;
(2) Identify and
facilitate opportunities to increase consumer demand for local seafood;
(3) Identify and
facilitate opportunities to establish agreements with local fishermen and
seafood dealers for potential seafood marketplace expansion;
(4) Review and
identify existing studies, pilot programs and initiatives of this state and
other states regarding seafood-marketing practices;
(5) Provide
educational opportunities for consumers and the fishing community regarding
local seafood issues and initiatives;
(6) Identify funding
sources available to the fishing community to support seafood
marketing;
(7) Respond to
requests for information from the legislature and comment on proposed
legislation;
(8) Issue
recommendations necessary to achieve these goals;
(9) Identify
opportunities for potential funding to support
marketing efforts and initiatives.
20-38-6.
Advisory council. – (a) The
advisory council is hereby established. The advisory council
shall consist of ten (10) members
each of whom shall be appointed by the director of the
department of environmental
management:
(1) A fish
dealer/wholesaler/processor or representative;
(2) A shellfish
dealer or processor of lobster and crab;
(3) A shellfish
dealer or processor of clams, etc;
(4)
A aquaculture dealer or processor;
(5) A retailer of
seafood product representing a restaurant organization;
(6) A seafood
retailer representing an independent or franchised store;
(7) A shellfish
harvester;
(8) A fisheries
manager specialist;
(9) A marine
scientist;
(10) An independent
organization or association representing the hospitality industry.
(b) Advisory council
members shall serve two (2) year terms and are eligible to succeed
themselves. In the event a member is unable to complete his or
her term, the director of the
department of environmental management shall appoint a
successor, and the successor appointed
to the vacancy shall serve for the remainder of the
unexpired term. The members of the board
shall receive no compensation.
(c) The advisory
council shall elect annually a chairperson from among its members.
(d) The advisory
council shall meet at least quarterly at the call of the chairperson or
three (3) council members. The chairperson of the
or designee from among the members of the collaborative,
shall be present for all advisory
council meetings.
(e) The advisory
council shall advise the collaborative on all matters pertaining to the
collaborative duties and powers.
20-38-7.
Meeting and reporting requirements. -- (a) The collaborative shall provide a
report of its findings addressing the research, marketing,
expansion and funding opportunities for
local seafood. Said report shall be provided to the
governor and general assembly by April 30,
2012.
(b) Thereafter, the
collaborative shall report to the governor and the general assembly, no
later than April 30 of each year, on the progress made in
achieving the goals and objectives set
forth in this chapter and any other pertinent information
by April 30, 2012.
(c) The collaborative
shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 38-2, access to public
records act, and chapter 42-46, open meetings act.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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LC02719
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