HB 1135

Abstract

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; blue catfish work group; report. Requires the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group of relevant stakeholders in order to support and encourage coordination regarding efforts to create a robust and resilient market for blue catfish. The work group shall (i) review past and ongoing efforts to promote the creation of a market for blue catfish, (ii) identify and explore potential sectors for the blue catfish market, and (iii) identify any actions that the Commonwealth can take to promote and expand the market for blue catfish. The Department shall submit a report of the findings and recommendations of the work group to the Governor, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources, and relevant committees of the General Assembly no later than September 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 402.

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services;blue catfish work group; report. Directs the Department of Agricultureand Consumer Services, in collaboration with certain stakeholders,to convene a work group to evaluate strategies to reduce the negativeecological effects of blue catfish and to increase the sales andmarketing of blue catfish. The bill requires the work group to (i)review past and ongoing efforts to promote the creation of a marketfor blue catfish, (ii) identify and explore potential sectors forthe blue catfish market, and (iii) identify any actions that theCommonwealth can take to promote and expand the market for blue catfish.The bill requires the Department to report its findings and recommendationsto the Governor, the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, and theChairmen of the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation andNatural Resources and Finance and Appropriations and the House Committeeson Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Appropriationsby December 1, 2024.