BILL ANALYSIS
------------------------------------------------------------
|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 21|
|Office of Senate Floor Analyses | |
|1020 N Street, Suite 524 | |
|(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | |
|327-4478 | |
------------------------------------------------------------
THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 21
Author: Simitian (D)
Amended: 1/25/10
Vote: 21
SENATE NATURAL RES. & WATER COMMITTEE : 8-2, 3/24/09
AYES: Pavley, Benoit, Kehoe, Leno, Padilla, Simitian,
Wiggins, Wolk
NOES: Hollingsworth, Huff
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cogdill
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 6-3, 1/21/10
AYES: Kehoe, Corbett, Leno, Liu, Price, Yee
NOES: Cox, Denham, Walters
SUBJECT : Fishing gear
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Department of Fish and
Game (DFG), by January 1, 2012, to include any available
toll free telephone numbers and any available Internet
website addresses for reporting lost fishing gear on all
fishing licenses and appropriate official brochures (e.g.,
fishing rule regulation brochures). This bill also
contains related legislative intent and definitions.
ANALYSIS : Under existing law, OPC consists of the
Secretary of Resources, the Secretary of Environmental
Protection, the chair of the State Lands Commission who
CONTINUED
SB 21
Page
2
alternates with the Lieutenant Governor, and two public
members. Among the OPC's responsibilities outlined in
Section 35615 of the Public Resources Code, is to
coordinate activities of state agencies that are related to
the protection and conservation of coastal waters and the
ocean ecosystem.
This bill requires DFG, by January 1, 2012, to include any
available toll free telephone numbers and any available
Internet website addresses for reporting lost fishing gear
on all fishing licenses and appropriate official brochures
(e.g., fishing rule regulation brochures). This bill also
contains related legislative intent and definitions.
Background
California Lost Fishing Gear Recovery Project . In July
2005, the SeaDoc Society at the University of California,
Davis Wildlife Health Center launched the California Lost
Fishing Gear Recovery Project. With a grant from the OPC
and additional funding from private and federal sources,
this project has removed gear from selected marine
locations including the Channel Island and other areas
around California and other Pacific states. This project
also established fishing line recycling bins on public
fishing piers, and encouraged ocean users to report the
presence of lost gear. According to an OPC resolution,
approximately 10 tons of gear from the Channel Islands had
been removed by the project between May 2006 and February
2007. This project is on-going, pending available funding.
OPC Resolution on Reducing and Preventing Marine Debris .
On February 8, 2007, the OPC adopted a resolution on
reducing and preventing marine debris. This resolution
made a number of findings regarding the negative impact
that marine debris has on the ocean ecosystem. In
response, the OPC identified thirteen top priority
solutions. One of these solutions was for the OPC to
coordinate and chair a Marine Debris Steering Committee
consisting of the California Integrated Waste Management
Board, Department of Conservation, Department of Toxic
Substances Control, Coastal Commission, and the State Water
Resources Control Board. The resolution directed this
committee to propose a plan by December 1, 2007 for
SB 21
Page
3
achieving target reductions of derelict fishing by 2015.
The OPC released a draft Ocean Litter Implementation
Strategy, however this draft does not include any targets
for derelict fishing gear reductions.
Prior Legislation
Last year, DFG opposed a similar version of this bill, SB
899 (Simitian) that was ultimately vetoed by Governor
Schwarzenegger.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: Yes
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13
Fund
Publicizing information minor
costs Special*
*Fish and Game Preservation Fund
SUPPORT : (Verified 1/27/10)
Heal the Bay
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : According to background submitted
by the author, fishing nets are usually made from synthetic
fibers that take a long time to degrade and in fact, may
never degrade. For example, commercial netting can take
30-40 years to decompose and monofilament fishing line can
take up to 600 years to decompose. The impacts of derelict
fishing gear include: the entanglement of divers and
swimmers, entangle and damage marine vessels, trap and kill
marine life, and threaten sensitive marine habitats and
ecosystems.
Private and educational organizations have documented and
photographed the damage to the marine environment and
wildlife caused by derelict fishing gear. See, for
example, this site, http://www.seadocsociety.
org/lostfishinggear, developed by the SeaDoc Society
SB 21
Page
4
affiliated with the Wildlife Health Center at the UC Davis
School of Veterinary Medicine.
CTW:nl 1/27/10 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
**** END ****