BILL ANALYSIS �
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AJR 43|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AJR 43
Author: Chesbro (D), et al.
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 6/19/14 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT : California shellfish
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution states legislative findings and
declarations regarding shellfish beds and the Legislature's
support for a clean and healthy marine environment to protect
shellfish beds and support for efforts to develop an improved
permitting process.
ANALYSIS :
Existing law:
1.Provides for registration of shellfish aquaculture operations
and regulation of facilities by the Department of Fish and
Wildlife.
2.Requires the Department in consultation with the Aquaculture
Development Committee to prepare programmatic environmental
impact reports for existing and potential commercial
aquaculture operations in coastal and inland waters if
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specified conditions are met.
This resolution makes the following legislative findings:
1.The California Shellfish Initiative (Initiative) is a
collaborative effort of growers, regulators, nongovernmental
organizations, and scientists to restore and expand
California's shellfish resources, including oysters, mussels,
clams, abalone, and scallops; and the Initiative's goals are
to protect and enhance our marine habitats, foster
environmental quality, increase jobs, encourage interagency
coordination and communication, and strengthen coastal
economies.
2.In California, over 90% of our seafood is imported and over
60% of our shellfish are supplied, mostly by air transport,
from other states; and many coastal communities with estuarine
resources and working waterfronts are working to measure and
predict how changing socioeconomic and environmental factors,
including climate change, will affect their future.
3.California has an enormous opportunity to create living-wage
jobs in coastal communities, improve water quality, and
restore important ecosystem functions through expansion of
sustainable shellfish farming and habitat restoration; and
public demand for local shellfish has risen dramatically in
recent decades, and worldwide, demand for farmed seafood has
never been greater, as global farmed aquaculture exceeded beef
production for the first time in 2012.
4.A successful Initiative will engage coastal stakeholders in a
comprehensive process to grow California's $25 million
sustainable shellfish harvest, restore natural shellfish
reefs, protect clean water, and enhance healthy watersheds, in
conformance with California's laws and policies.
This resolution states that the Legislature supports ensuring a
clean and healthy marine environment to protect existing
shellfish beds and access to additional acreage for shellfish
farming and restoration, and further supports a dialogue between
industry, environmental, and federal and state agency leaders to
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develop an improved permitting process that is efficient and
economical for both shellfish restoration and commercial
farming.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/27/14)
Coast Seafoods Company
Hog Island Oyster Company
Passmore Ranch
Taylor Shellfish Farms
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters of this resolution emphasize
the importance of clean water and healthy marine ecosystems for
shellfish production. The goals of the California Shellfish
Initiative are to improve the permitting process and responsibly
expand shellfish aquaculture and restoration in the state.
Supporters note the economic value of sustainable seafood
production, and the importance of native shellfish restoration
projects as well.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 77-0, 6/19/14
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Bigelow, Bloom, Bocanegra,
Bonilla, Bonta, Brown, Buchanan, Ian Calderon, Campos, Chau,
Ch�vez, Chesbro, Conway, Cooley, Dababneh, Dahle, Daly,
Dickinson, Donnelly, Eggman, Fong, Fox, Frazier, Beth Gaines,
Garcia, Gatto, Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gorell, Gray, Grove,
Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Roger Hern�ndez, Holden, Jones,
Jones-Sawyer, Levine, Linder, Logue, Lowenthal, Maienschein,
Mansoor, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Muratsuchi, Nazarian,
Nestande, Olsen, Pan, Patterson, Perea, John A. P�rez, V.
Manuel P�rez, Quirk, Quirk-Silva, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas,
Rodriguez, Salas, Skinner, Stone, Ting, Wagner, Waldron,
Weber, Wieckowski, Wilk, Williams, Yamada, Atkins
NO VOTE RECORDED: Ammiano, Bradford, Vacancy
RM:e 6/27/14 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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