BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
21 (Simitian)
Hearing Date: 01/21/2010 Amended: As proposed to be
amended
Consultant: Brendan McCarthy Policy Vote: NR&W 8-2
Page 2
SB 21 (Simitian)
_________________________________________________________________
____
BILL SUMMARY: SB 21 requires the Department of Fish and Game and
the Ocean Protection Council to reduce the impact of derelict
fishing gear in state and coastal waters, by collecting
information on the location of lost gear. The bill requires the
Department and the Council to recommend a fund source for future
prevention and recovery activities. The bill also requires the
Council to prioritize existing derelict fishing gear for future
recovery.
_________________________________________________________________
____
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2009-10 2010-11 2012-13 Fund
Publicizing information Minor costsSpecial
*
* Fish and Game Preservation Fund.
_________________________________________________________________
____
STAFF COMMENTS: Suspense File.
SB 21 intends to reduce the impacts of derelict fishing gear in
state and coastal waters. By January 2011, the bill requires the
Department of Fish and Game and the Ocean Protection Counsel to
recommend a sustainable funding source for the prevention and
recovery of derelict fishing gear, as well as requiring the
department to publicize methods for fisherman to report lost
fishing gear.
By July 2012, the bill requires fisherman to report lost fishing
gear to the department and requires the department to develop a
database of derelict fishing gear. Staff notes that a private
organization currently maintains such a database, supported in
large part with state bond funds. Also, the department states
that an additional law enforcement position will be required to
ensure that found derelict gear was reported to the department,
as required.
By July 2012, the bill requires that all traps and trawl nets
deployed in waters of the state be tagged in a manner prescribed
by the department, such that the owner of the gear can be
Page 2
SB 21 (Simitian)
identified if it becomes derelict. Staff notes that the state of
Washington has a similar, but smaller program. Tags are provided
by the state, with the cost of about $1 per tag paid by licensed
fishermen. The number of traps and trawl nets used in California
is unknown. If the department were to distribute tags, it could
cause unknown cost pressures on the Fish and Game Preservation
Fund (although these cost pressures could be offset with
increased fee revenues).
By January 2013, and annually thereafter, this bill requires the
Council to prioritize derelict fishing gear for removal to
achieve reduction targets established by the Council. The bill
does not require either the department of the Council to
undertake projects to remove derelict fishing gear.
The bill allows the department to accept outside funds for the
implementation these activities. The bill also allows the
department to contract with outside providers for services
required under the bill, if the department does not have
sufficient personnel to perform those duties.
As proposed to be amended by the author, the bill would be
limited to requiring the Department to publicize phone numbers
and/or internet addresses of any existing organization that
collects information on derelict fishing gear. The costs to
update fishing licenses and other publications to include this
information should be minor.