BILL NUMBER: S10566
SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to
extending provisions related to the regulation of the amount of Jonah
crabs that may be taken
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to extend the authority of the Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC) to limit the number of Jonah crabs that
may be taken for commercial purposes in the state.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one would extend for two years, until December 31, 2028, DEC's
authority to limit the number of Jonah crabs that may be taken for
commercial purposes in the state.
Section two establishes the effective date.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Jonah crabs are often caught as bycatch in lobster traps. Once consid-
ered a nuisance and a pest that stole the bait in the traps now
increased fishing pressure and market demand has led to a dramatic
increase in the taking of the species.
Jonah crabs are not managed federally but instead are managed by indi-
vidual states with interstate coordination by the Atlantic States Marine
Fisheries Commission. New York's role in this framework in central to
the wholistic management of the species and allowing DEC to set commer-
cial limits is the most fundamental tool in helping protect and manage
this important species.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2024: S.9681 Martinez - A.10278 Lucas - Chapter 260.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

Statutes affected:
S10566: 13-0331 environmental conservation law, 13-0331(1-a) environmental conservation law