The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5333, aims to enhance the regulation of fisheries in Connecticut. It establishes penalties for violations related to striped bass, categorizing infractions with fines of $250 for a first offense, $350 for a second, and $500 for subsequent offenses, with fines payable to the municipality where the infraction occurred. Additionally, the bill prohibits the hand-harvesting of horseshoe crabs and their eggs, with exceptions for educational or scientific purposes under a permit from the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. It also introduces a fine of $25 for each specimen taken in violation of these provisions.

Furthermore, the bill allows food service establishments to sell lobsters with a maximum carapace length of 6.25 inches, provided they are sourced from authorized federal Lobster Management Areas. It mandates a catch-and-release method for striped bass from December 1 to April 30 and prohibits bait fishing in the Housatonic River downstream of the Derby Dam during the same period. The bill repeals existing regulations regarding horseshoe crab harvesting and introduces new sections to clarify these regulations, with an effective date of October 1, 2026, for most provisions.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 26-292d