AB 303

  • California Assembly Bill
  • 2021-2022 Regular Session
  • Introduced in Assembly
  • Assembly
  • Senate
  • Governor

Aquaculture: mariculture production and restoration: pilot program.

Abstract

Existing law provides for the regulation and development of aquaculture and requires the owner of each aquaculture facility to register with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law authorizes the department, among other powers, to assess annual registration fees on owners of aquaculture facilities and to prohibit an aquaculture operation or the culturing of any species at any location where it would be detrimental to adjacent native wildlife. Existing law authorizes the Fish and Game Commission to lease state water bottoms or the water column to any person for aquaculture, as prescribed, and requires the department to notify the State Lands Commission of all applications for water bottom leases and of all leases for aquaculture executed, renewed, or assigned. Under existing law, the California Coastal Act of 1976, the California Coastal Commission is responsible for the implementation of the act and for state coastal zone planning and management. This bill would require the department, in collaboration with the California Coastal Commission, to, by January 1, 2024, create a pilot program in state waters to further develop shellfish and seaweed mariculture production and restoration capacity in California. The bill would require the department to establish a process to designate tracts for shellfish and seaweed mariculture production and restoration as part of the pilot program, as specified. The bill would authorize an applicant with a proposed shellfish, seaweed, or shellfish and seaweed mariculture production and restoration project to apply for a lease of any pilot program tract, or a portion thereof. The bill would require the State Lands Commission or the Fish and Game Commission, or both, if applicable to approve, deny, or return for revision a lease application within 4 months. The bill would authorize a local government to apply for a shellfish and seaweed mariculture production and restoration lease and designate individual mariculturalists as sublessees without authorization from the department, the State Lands Commission, or the Fish and Game Commission. A local government would be required to notify the department, the State Lands Commission, or the Fish and Game Commission of a sublease within 2 months of the beginning of the sublease. The bill would provide the department, by January 1, 2024, within the pilot program tracts, with sole authority or jurisdiction to approve, deny, or otherwise affect the ability of shellfish and seaweed mariculture production and restoration projects to operate, as well as to enforce compliance with relevant regulations, excluding the roles and responsibilities of the State Water Resources Control Board and the relevant leasing authorities. The bill would authorize a mariculturalist holding a lease to a pilot program tract to be able to begin cultivation without a permit under the regulations established by the department, except any permit required by the State Water Resources Control Board. The bill would require the department to conduct ongoing monitoring and enforce compliance with the rules and regulations of the pilot program and to work with noncompliant aquaculturalists to resolve any noncompliance issues if possible. The bill would authorize the department to close any operation in the pilot program due to noncompliance if no other reasonable resolution is possible. The bill would require, when sufficient data has been collected, the department to make recommendations to the Legislature on any relevant changes to the mariculture and restoration permitting and regulatory processes, as specified. The bill would repeal the provisions establishing the pilot program on January 1, 2036, and upon termination, would require the department to offer participants in the pilot program, one year from the date of termination, to come into compliance with any rules and regulations not applicable in the pilot program tracts in order to keep operating. The bill would require the department to consider and, if appropriate, investigate whether and how to seek state verification authority from the United States Army Corps of Engineers and any other federal agencies offering state verification authority in order to streamline the review and approval of federal permits issued by the United States Army Corps of Engineers or another federal agency that may be required by a mariculture project intending to operate in this state. The bill would require the department to ensure the inclusion of socially disadvantaged aquaculturalists in the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of laws, regulations, and policies and programs relating to aquaculture production and restoration. The bill would also make legislative findings and declarations and adopt definitions to implement its provisions.

Bill Sponsors (5)

Votes


Actions


Feb 01, 2022

Assembly

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

Jan 31, 2022

Assembly

Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.

Jan 11, 2022

Assembly

In committee: Set, first hearing. Hearing canceled at the request of author.

Jan 04, 2022

Assembly

Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on NAT. RES.

Jan 03, 2022

Assembly

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

Apr 22, 2021

Assembly

Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on NAT. RES.

Apr 21, 2021

Assembly

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. Read second time and amended.

Apr 12, 2021

Assembly

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on NAT. RES. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on NAT. RES.

  • Committee-Passage
  • Committee-Passage-Favorable
  • Referral-Committee
Com. on NAT. RES.

Apr 05, 2021

Assembly

Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on W.,P., & W.

Mar 30, 2021

Assembly

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W.,P., & W. Read second time and amended.

Mar 16, 2021

Assembly

Re-referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on W.,P., & W.

Mar 15, 2021

Assembly

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on W.,P., & W. Read second time and amended.

Feb 12, 2021

Assembly

Referred to Com. on W.,P., & W.

  • Referral-Committee
Com. on W.,P., & W.

Jan 26, 2021

Assembly

From printer. May be heard in committee February 25.

Jan 25, 2021

Assembly

Read first time. To print.

Bill Text

Bill Text Versions Format
AB303 HTML
01/25/21 - Introduced PDF
03/15/21 - Amended Assembly PDF
03/30/21 - Amended Assembly PDF
04/21/21 - Amended Assembly PDF
01/03/22 - Amended Assembly PDF

Related Documents

Document Format
04/06/21- Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife PDF
01/07/22- Assembly Natural Resources PDF

Sources

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