BILL NUMBER: S7767
SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
extending the authority of the department of environmental conservation
to manage fish
 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to extend the regulatory authority of the
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage fish.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill amends Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)
§ 11-1303 to extend, until December 31, 2028, DEC's authority to fix by
regulation measures for the management of fish, except marine species
regulated under ECL Article 13.
Section 2 of this bill provides that the bill shall take effect imme-
diately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
ECL § 11-1303 authorizes DEC to set open seasons, size and catch limits,
and manner of taking of all species of fish, except marine fish covered
under Article 13. If this authority is not extended beyond the current
sunset date of December 31, 2025, the existing regulations on the
seasons, bag limits, and manner of taking for these fish would no longer
be enforceable and there would be no oversight of the taking of fish in
State waters. Extending DEC's authority to regulate fish in all of its
state waters will assure continuity of the protection of the State's
fishery resources.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
DEC's regulatory authority was last extended by Chapter 368 of the Laws
of 2022.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S7767: 11-1303 environmental conservation law