Senate Bill No. 236
(By Senators Williams, White, Stollings, Chafin,
D. Facemire and Kessler)
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[Introduced January 20, 2010; referred to the Committee on
Agriculture; and then to the Committee on Economic Development.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new article, designated §19-32-1, §19-32-2,
§19-32-3, §19-32-4 and §19-32-5, all relating to aquacultural
development in West Virginia; short title; definitions;
findings and purpose; Department of Agriculture powers; and
creating an advisory board.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new article, designated §19-32-1, §19-32-2,
§19-32-3, §19-32-4 and §19-32-5, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 32. AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT.
§19-32-1. Legislative findings and purpose.
The Legislature finds and declares that aquaculture has the
potential for reducing the United States trade deficit in fisheries
products, for augmenting food supplies, for expanding employment,
for promoting economic activity, for improving public health, for augmenting existing commercial and recreational fisheries and for
producing other renewable resources, thereby assisting West
Virginia and the United States in meeting its future food needs and
contributing to the solution of world resource problems. It is,
therefore, in the state's interest and it is state policy to
recognize aquaculture as agriculture and to encourage the
development of aquaculture in West Virginia.
§19-32-2. Short title.
This article shall be known as the Aquaculture Development
Act.
§19-32-3. Definitions.
As used in this article:
(1) "Aquaculture" means the propagation, rearing, and/or use
of aquatic organisms in controlled or selected environments
primarily for commercial purposes related to food production,
recreation, research, importation, exportation, marketing,
transportation and/or science.
(2) "Aquaculture facility" means any land, structure or other
appurtenance that is used for aquaculture, including, but not
limited to, any laboratory, hatchery, rearing pond, raceway, pen,
incubator, or other equipment used in aquaculture;
(3) "Aquatic species" means any species of finfish, mollusk,
crustacean, or other aquatic invertebrate, amphibian, reptile, or
aquatic plant, and including, but not limited to, "fish" and
"fishes" as defined in this chapter.
(4) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture;
(5) "Department" means the West Virginia Department of
Agriculture
§19-32-4. Lead agency; powers and duties.
(a) Aquaculture is a form of agriculture and thus the
Department of Agriculture is designated as the lead state agency in
matters pertaining to aquaculture.
(b) The department shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) To provide aquaculturalists with information and
assistance in obtaining permits related to aquacultural activities;
(2) To promote investment in aquaculture facilities in order
to expand production and processing capacity; and
(3) To work with appropriate state and federal agencies to
review, develop and implement rules, policies and procedures to
facilitate aquacultural development.
(4) To facilitate the formation of an Aquaculture Advisory
Board consistent with the provisions section five of this article;
(5) To coordinate the development and implementation of a
state aquaculture plan. The plan shall include prioritized
recommendations for research and development as suggested by the
Aquaculture Advisory Board, the department, public and private
research institutions, and the West Virginia University Extension
Service;
(6) To develop memoranda of agreement, as needed, with the
Department of Environmental Protection, the Division of Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture and other groups as
provided in the state aquaculture plan;
(7) To develop and propose to the Legislature, if necessary,
legislation required to implement the state aquaculture plan and
to otherwise encourage the development of aquaculture in the state;
and
(8) To make available state lands and the water column for the
purpose of producing aquaculture products when the aquaculture
activity is compatible with state resource management goals and
environmental protection.
§19-32-5. Advisory board.
(a) There is created within the Department of Agriculture the
Aquaculture Advisory Board, to consist of the following
representatives:
(1) The Commissioner of Agriculture or the commissioner's
designee shall serve as chairman of the board;
(2) A representative from the Division of Natural Resources;
(3) A representative from the Department of Environmental
Protection;
(4) A representative from the West Virginia University
Extension Service;
(5) Two (2) industry representatives currently conducting for-
profit aquaculture or aquaculture related activities in West
Virginia; and,
(6) One (1) at-large member appointed at the discretion of the commissioner.
(b) Clerical and other assistance shall be provided by the
Department of Agriculture.
(c) The board shall review state and federal policies, laws
and regulations affecting aquaculture and recommend changes which
may be necessary or useful to carry out the purposes of this
article.
(d) The board shall present its recommendations to Department
of Agriculture.
(e) The board shall also assist in the coordination of
aquaculture related activities of the various state agencies and
institutions.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to setup the beginning
stages of aquaculture development in West Virginia; giving the
Department of Agriculture power over such developments and creation
of an Aquaculture advisory board.
§19-32-1, §19-32-2, §19-32-3, §19-32-4 and §19-32-5 are new;
therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.