BILL NUMBER: S7773
SPONSOR: FAHY
 
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 bluefish
 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to extend the authority of the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) to manage bluefish.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of this bill amends Environmental Conservation Law (ECL)
§ 13-0340 to extend, until December 31, 2028, DEC's authority to fix by
regulation measures for the management of Bluefish (Pomatomus salta-
trix).
Section 2 of this bill provides that the bill shall take effect imme-
diately.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
DEC's regulatory authority for bluefish is necessary in order to
preserve the current regulatory program. Failure to extend the existing
regulatory authority by December 31, 2025 will result in the loss of
regulatory protection for bluefish.
This bill would extend DEC's regulatory authority for an additional
three years, and ensure that DEC continues to maintain compliance with
the Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Bluefish, adopted jointly by the
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission. ECL § 13-0105, which sets forth the marine fisher-
ies conservation and management policy, provides that one of the State's
objectives shall be the management of the State's transboundary and
migratory species consistent with any interjurisdictional management
plans, interstate or state-federal. Moreover, failure to make necessary
regulatory changes as may be required by the FMP could result in the
closure of New York's bluefish fishery.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
DEC's regulatory authority was last extended by Chapter 307 of the laws
of 2022.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S7773: 13-0340 environmental conservation law