BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 369|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 369
Author: Evans (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE : 5-2, 4/12/11
AYES: Pavley, Evans, Kehoe, Padilla, Wolk
NOES: Cannella, Fuller
NO VOTE RECORDED: La Malfa, Simitian
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-3, 5/2/11
AYES: Kehoe, Alquist, Lieu, Pavley, Price, Steinberg
NOES: Walters, Emmerson, Runner
SUBJECT : Dungeness crab
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill extends until 2015 the sunset of
several code sections governing the commercial harvest of
Dungeness crab, including a section imposing a regulatory
fee on commercial Dungeness crab fishing vessels.
ANALYSIS : Sections 8275 - 8284 of the Fish and Game Code
(FGC) contain much of the statutory language relevant to
California's Dungeness crab fishery. Existing law:
1. Permits the Director of the Department of Fish and Game
(DFG) to delay the opening of the fishery in certain
circumstances, regulates certain preparations for the
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fishery's opening, and regulates the taking of crab
during these delays;
2. Establishes eligibility criteria to obtain a commercial
Dungeness crab vessel permit and requires this permit to
land crab;
3. Establishes the necessary criteria to transfer and/or
revoke a Dungeness crab vessel permit;
4. Establishes fees for the permit; and
5. Requires the Director to convene a Dungeness crab review
panel for the purpose of reviewing permits and
application transfers.
The sunset date for these provisions is April 1, 2012.
This bill extends until 2015 the sunset of several code
sections governing the commercial harvest of Dungeness
crab, including a section imposing a regulatory fee on
commercial Dungeness crab fishing vessels.
Background
In 2008, the Legislature passed SB 1690 (Wiggins), Chapter
727, Statutes 2008, which directed the creation of the
Dungeness Crab Task Force (DCTF). DCTF membership,
representative of varied fishery interests, was specified
in the bill. The DCTF was required to address certain
issues of concern to the Dungeness crab fishery and to
report its recommendations for management of the fishery to
the Legislature, DFG and the Fish and Game Commission in
early 2010. DCTF submitted its findings in two reports
that contained multiple management objectives and
recommendations for the fishery. The proposed management
objectives focus primarily on reducing the threat of
unsustainable expansion to the commercial fishery. The
recommendations describe specific actions necessary to
support these management objectives, including, in
particular, a pilot program to assess the value of limiting
the number of crab pots available to each permit holder
based upon previously reported catch. Both Washington and
Oregon have recently implemented similar "tiered" programs
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to limit total crab pot deployment. Last year, SB 1093
(Wiggins) sought to implement many of the DCTF's
recommendations.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2011-12 2012-13
2013-14 Fund
Fee revenues ($170) ($170) Special
*
Enforcement Minor costs
Special *
* Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/3/11)
Crab Boat Owners of San Francisco
Environmental Defense Fund
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to the author, this bill
"is seen by crab fishermen and processers as vitally
important to the state's crab industry. First of all, the
bill in its current form extends Ýthe sunset in existing
law from] next year to 2015, thereby allowing the current
Dungeness Crab permitting program to continue without
disruption. Secondly, it provides the platform for ongoing
work with Crab Fishery stakeholders to craft a bill that
will help conserve the resource, meet the regulatory
requirements of the Department of Fish and Game, keep
unneeded gear out of the water, and put a halt to the
annual cross border race for crabs that threatens the
livelihoods of our fishermen."
CTW:kc 5/3/11 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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