Bill Text: HI HB2041 | 2018 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating To Aquaculture.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2018-04-23 - Received notice of Senate conferees (Sen. Com. No. 827). [HB2041 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2018-HB2041-Introduced.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2041 |
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TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO AQUACULTURE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a significant
commercial opportunity in the aquaculture sector, and Hawaii is uniquely suited
for this opportunity. Aquaculture
provides increasingly more fish than capture fisheries, so aquaculture is
better equipped to meet the growing global demand for seafood. The value of global aquaculture production in
2014 totaled $165,800,000,000. Furthermore,
the demand for aquaculture production is federally recognized. The United States imports ninety-one per cent
of its seafood, leading to a $14,000,000,000 trade deficit. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's "Marine Aquaculture Strategic Plan" for 2016-2020
prioritizes efforts to expand sustainable aquaculture production in the United
States by at least fifty per cent by the year 2020. Moreover, seafood and aquaculture technology
start-ups raised $193,000,000 in 2016, which represents a 271 per cent increase
over 2014-2015 amounts. Investors and
entrepreneurs are becoming aware of the tremendous opportunity within the
aquaculture industry.
The legislature further finds that Hawaii has a number of competitive advantages in the aquaculture industry, including abundant natural resources, sophisticated infrastructure within the public and private sectors for developing aquaculture, expertise in a wide variety of aquaculture species and technologies, political stability, geographic isolation for biosecurity, and geographic location between the two largest seafood importers. Furthermore, the National Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority ("NELHA") operates a world-class aquaculture facility known as the Hawaii Ocean Science Technology Park ("HOST Park"). The State has invested over $120,000,000 since 1974 to develop HOST Park. Given Hawaii's year-round growing climate, the biosecurity of its remote location, and the easy access to pristine seawater at various temperatures, over thirty companies from around the world have located their aquaculture operations at HOST Park.
The legislature further finds that establishing an aquaculture incubator at NELHA would serve to develop Hawaii's aquaculture industry in innovative ways, as well as bring entrepreneurs and investors to Hawaii's aquaculture market. Existing structures at HOST Park can be repurposed to create a facility and program for the aquaculture incubator. The aquaculture incubator would foster collaboration between innovative new aquaculture companies, provide business and scientific mentorship from existing industry experts, provide access to HOST Park's seawater infrastructure, and allow new companies to commercialize their products and secure financing. It will also attract investor capital to Hawaii's aquaculture industry, as well as create high wage-earning jobs in Hawaii.
The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds to establish an aquaculture incubator at NELHA to bring together entrepreneurs and investors to develop Hawaii's aquaculture industry.
SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $500,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2018-2019 to establish an aquaculture incubator at NELHA to bring together entrepreneurs and investors to develop Hawaii's aquaculture industry.
The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of business, economic development, and tourism for the purposes of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2018.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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Report Title:
Aquaculture Incubator; Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism; Appropriation
Description:
Appropriates
funds for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism
to establish an aquaculture incubator at the National Energy Laboratory of
Hawaii Authority to bring together entrepreneurs and investors to develop
Hawaii's aquaculture industry.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.
