Bill Text: HI HCR79 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Fish Labeling

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-25 - The committee(s) on AGR/EDB recommend(s) that the measure be deferred. [HCR79 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-HCR79-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	79
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the chairperson of the board of agriculture to convene a task force on fish labeling.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the commercial fishing industry in the State is a significant generator of revenues, and in 2011, it employed about 3,691 commercial fishermen who landed about 31,455,425 pounds of fish; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State presently has no labeling laws in place for unprocessed fish that is intended for human consumption; and

 

     WHEREAS, the lack of labeling requirements prevents consumers from knowing:

 

     (1)  The identity of the fish species;

 

     (2)  The fish's country of origin;

 

     (3)  Whether the fish is fresh or processed, including having been frozen;

 

     (4)  Whether the fish is genetically modified;

 

     (5)  Whether the fish is wild or farm-raised; and

 

     (6)  Whether the fish is line-caught or net-caught; and

 

     WHEREAS, labeling distinctions between line-caught wild fish and farmed fish would likely have significant economic importance to local off-shore fishermen, generating a higher auction price for their catches; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, the Senate concurring, that the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture is requested to convene a task force to determine whether the State should adopt laws on fish labeling in order to distinguish fish that is line-caught from fish that is net-caught or raised in farms, including open-ocean farms; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to study:

 

     (1)  The use of labels such as "line caught", "wild", "wild-caught", "net caught", "open waters", and "Hawaiian";

 

     (2)  Wholesalers, retailers, restaurants, and other entities that should be subject to labeling requirements;

 

     (3)  The establishment of a single location for state labeling activities;

 

     (4)  Types of enforcement activities and penalties for mislabeling; and

 

     (5)  Other states' and federal laws on fish labeling; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to include the following:

 

     (1)  The Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, or the Chairperson's designee, who shall serve as the chairperson of the task force;

 

     (2)  The Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, or the Chairperson's designee;

 

     (3)  The Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, or the Director's designee;

 

     (4)  The Director of Health, or the Director's designee;

 

     (5)  A representative of the United States Department of Agriculture, to be designated by the Secretary of Agriculture;

 

     (6)  A representative of the United Fish Agency, Limited; and

 

     (7)  A member to represent the commercial fishing community, to be designated by the Governor; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the Legislature not later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chairperson of the Board of Agriculture, the Chairperson of the Board of Land and Natural Resources, the Director of Health, the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the President of the United Fishing Agency, Limited.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Fish Labeling