S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
S. 5385--A A. 6893--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y
March 24, 2017
___________
IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce,
Economic Development and Small Business -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
IN ASSEMBLY -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred
to the Committee on Economic Development -- committee discharged, bill
amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said commit-
tee
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to the estab-
lishment of a New York seafood marketing task force
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
article 23 to read as follows:
ARTICLE 23
NEW YORK SEAFOOD MARKETING TASK FORCE
SECTION 455. SHORT TITLE.
456. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.
457. DEFINITIONS.
458. TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED.
459. POWERS AND DUTIES.
460. MEETING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.
§ 455. SHORT TITLE. THIS ACT SHALL BE KNOWN AND MAY BE CITED AS THE
"NEW YORK SEAFOOD MARKETING TASK FORCE ACT OF 2017."
§ 456. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. THE LEGISLATURE HEREBY FINDS THAT THE
SEAFOOD AND AQUACULTURE INDUSTRIES IN NEW YORK STATE CONTRIBUTE SIGNIF-
ICANTLY TO NEW YORK'S ECONOMIC VITALITY. THESE INDUSTRIES SUPPORT NUMER-
OUS BUSINESSES, INCLUDING COMMERCIAL FISHING BUSINESSES, FISH MARKETS,
SHIP REPAIR SHOPS, MARINAS, RESTAURANTS, GROCERY STORES, TOURISM, GIFT
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10464-04-7
S. 5385--A 2 A. 6893--A
SHOPS AND NUMEROUS OTHER SHORE SIDE ENTERPRISES. THE SEAFOOD AND AQUA-
CULTURE INDUSTRIES ARE A RICH AND VIBRANT PART OF NEW YORK'S HISTORY;
HOWEVER, THESE INDUSTRIES HAVE UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT AND CHALLENGING
CHANGES IN RECENT YEARS AND STILL FACE MANY CHALLENGES IN THE YEARS
AHEAD. THIS LEGISLATION RECOGNIZES THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THESE INDUSTRIES
AND SEEKS TO PROVIDE INSIGHT AND UNDERSTANDING TO THE ROLE OF THESE
INDUSTRIES AND THEIR CONTINUED VALUE AND GROWTH. THIS LEGISLATION SEEKS
TO INCREASE THE RESOURCES AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT NEW
YORK'S LOCAL FISHERMEN, AQUACULTURISTS AND RELATED SMALL BUSINESSES TO
ENSURE THE BEST POSSIBLE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES FOR THE
CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE SEAFOOD INDUSTRY AND THE CREATION OF MORE LOCAL-
LY PRODUCED SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
§ 457. DEFINITIONS. WHEN USED IN THIS ARTICLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS
SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
1. "TASK FORCE" MEANS THE NEW YORK SEAFOOD MARKETING TASK FORCE ESTAB-
LISHED UNDER SECTION FOUR HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT OF THIS ARTICLE.
2. "STATE AGENCIES" MEANS STATE ENTITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE IMPLEMEN-
TATION OF NEW YORK'S FISHERY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) THE DEPARTMENT;
(B) THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS;
(C) THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH;
(D) THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION; AND
(E) THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
§ 458. TASK FORCE ESTABLISHED. 1. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED A TASK FORCE
KNOWN AS THE "NEW YORK SEAFOOD MARKETING TASK FORCE" CONSISTING OF NINE-
TEEN MEMBERS AS FOLLOWS:
(A) THE COMMISSIONER, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE, WHO SHALL SERVE AS
CHAIRPERSON;
(B) THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, OR HIS OR HER
DESIGNEE;
(C) THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS, OR HIS OR HER DESIG-
NEE;
(D) THE COMMISSIONER OF HEALTH, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE;
(E) THE SECRETARY OF STATE, OR HIS OR HER DESIGNEE;
(F) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY WITH A SPECIALIZA-
TION IN MARINE AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES;
(G) A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE NEW YORK SEA GRANT PROGRAM;
(H) A REPRESENTATIVE OF CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION;
(I) A REPRESENTATIVE FROM A TRADE ORGANIZATION FOR SEAFOOD ISSUES; AND
(J) TEN ADDITIONAL MEMBERS, EACH OF WHOM SHALL BE APPOINTED BY THE
GOVERNOR, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
(I) TWO NEW YORK-BASED DEALERS/WHOLESALERS/PROCESSORS WHO PURCHASE AND
SELL FINFISH, SHELLFISH, AND/OR CRUSTACEANS;
(II) TWO COMMERCIAL AQUACULTURISTS;
(III) A NEW YORK-BASED RETAILER OF SEAFOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH A
RESTAURANT OR RESTAURANT ORGANIZATION;
(IV) A NEW YORK-BASED RETAILER OF SEAFOOD PRODUCTS ASSOCIATED WITH AN
INDEPENDENT OR FRANCHISED STORE;
(V) TWO COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN LICENSED TO HARVEST AND/OR LAND IN NEW
YORK;
(VI) A MEMBER OF AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION OR ASSOCIATION REPRESENT-
ING THE NEW YORK HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY; AND
(VII) AN ECONOMIST WITH EXPERTISE IN SEAFOOD MARKETING.
2. FORTHWITH UPON THE PASSAGE OF THIS ARTICLE, THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK
FORCE SHALL MEET AT THE CALL OF THE CHAIRPERSON AND ORGANIZE. THEREAFT-
S. 5385--A 3 A. 6893--A
ER, THE TASK FORCE SHALL MEET AT THE CALL OF THE CHAIRPERSON OR THREE
MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE.
3. ALL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES OF THE STATE SHALL FURNISH SUCH
REASONABLE ADVICE AND INFORMATION, DOCUMENTATION, AND OTHERWISE TO THE
TASK FORCE AND ITS AGENTS AS IS DEEMED NECESSARY OR DESIRABLE BY THE
TASK FORCE TO FACILITATE THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE.
4. THE MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR
THEIR SERVICES.
§ 459. POWERS AND DUTIES. THE TASK FORCE SHALL SUPPORT AND WORK COLLA-
BORATIVELY WITH THE NEW YORK FISHING COMMUNITY TO PROMOTE THE MARKETING
AND SUSTAINABILITY OF NEW YORK SEAFOOD, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
1. IDENTIFY BARRIERS THAT PREVENT AND/OR INHIBIT LOCAL SEAFOOD MARKET-
ING INITIATIVES AND GROWTH;
2. IDENTIFY AND FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE CONSUMER DEMAND
FOR LOCAL SEAFOOD;
3. IDENTIFY AND FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES TO ESTABLISH AGREEMENTS WITH
LOCAL FISHERMEN AND SEAFOOD DEALERS FOR POTENTIAL SEAFOOD MARKETPLACE
EXPANSION;
4. IDENTIFY AND WORK WITH FEDERAL AND STATE ENTITIES TO PREVENT
SEAFOOD MISLABELING AND KEEP ILLEGALLY CAUGHT FISH OUT OF NEW YORK'S
SEAFOOD MARKETS, WHILE PROVIDING MORE INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS ABOUT
THEIR SEAFOOD PURCHASES;
5. REVIEW AND IDENTIFY EXISTING STUDIES, PILOT PROGRAMS AND INITI-
ATIVES OF THIS STATE AND OTHER STATES REGARDING BEST SEAFOOD-MARKETING
PRACTICES;
6. PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONSUMERS AND THE SEAFOOD AND
AQUACULTURE COMMUNITY REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF NEW YORK'S SEAFOOD
INDUSTRY AND SEAFOOD ISSUES AND INITIATIVES;
7. IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE FISHING COMMUNITY TO
SUPPORT SEAFOOD MARKETING;
8. ISSUE RECOMMENDATIONS NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS;
9. IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR POTENTIAL FUNDING TO SUPPORT NEW YORK
SEAFOOD MARKETING EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES.
§ 460. MEETING AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 1. THE TASK FORCE SHALL
PROVIDE A REPORT OF ITS FINDINGS ADDRESSING THE RESEARCH, MARKETING,
EXPANSION AND FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL SEAFOOD. SUCH REPORT SHALL
BE PROVIDED TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE BY DECEMBER THIR-
TY-FIRST, TWO THOUSAND EIGHTEEN.
2. THEREAFTER, THE TASK FORCE SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE
STATE LEGISLATURE, NO LATER THAN DECEMBER THIRTY-FIRST OF EACH YEAR, ON
THE PROGRESS MADE IN ACHIEVING THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SET FORTH IN
THIS ARTICLE.
3. THE TASK FORCE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ARTICLES SIX
AND SEVEN OF THE PUBLIC OFFICERS LAW.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.