Bill Text: MS SB2502 | 2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Live bait dealers; delete restriction that only licensed commercial shrimpers may cross state lines.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2021-02-02 - Died In Committee [SB2502 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2021-SB2502-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2021 Regular Session
To: Ports and Marine Resources
By: Senator(s) Seymour
Senate Bill 2502
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-15-64.4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO DELETE THE RESTRICTION THAT ONLY LICENSED COMMERCIAL SHRIMPERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO TRANSPORT SHRIMP ACROSS STATE LINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF SELLING OR DELIVERING LIVE BAIT IN ANOTHER STATE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 49-15-64.4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
49-15-64.4. (1) Each live bait catcher boat engaged in taking live bait shrimp shall pay an annual privilege tax of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) for each boat engaged in those operations. The operations shall not exceed two (2) boats per license.
(2) Each "live bait dealer"
engaging in selling or otherwise dispensing live bait to sport fishermen shall pay
an annual privilege tax of Fifty Dollars ($50.00) and must make written application
to the commission providing the name of the applicant's "live bait catcher
boat," the name of the captain of that "live bait catcher boat,"
the dealer's Mississippi state sales tax number and a sworn statement that dead
shrimp will not be sold in containers having a volume in excess of sixteen (16)
ounces. Licensed live bait catcher boats and licensed live bait dealers shall not
operate as commercial shrimpers or commercial shrimp dealers or otherwise engage
in commercial shrimping operations. Live bait dealers shall only sell or otherwise
dispose of bait shrimp when alive or dead with heads attached solely as bait to
recreational fishermen or other licensed live bait dealers as regulated by the commission. * * *
Any person, firm or corporation found guilty of purchasing shrimp from a live bait
camp or live bait catcher boat, other than for the purpose described in this section,
shall be fined Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the first offense and shall
be fined Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) and forfeit all seafood licenses for
a second or subsequent offense. In addition, each application for a "live
bait dealer" license shall contain a statement of the operating hours, at least
eight (8) per twenty-four-hour period, and the location of the camp which must be
accessible to the general public by public road or waters located within the three
(3) coastal counties. Applications for a live bait camp may be submitted anytime.
Live bait camps may be inspected within thirty (30) days after receipt of the completed
application. Any "live bait dealer" desiring to engage in the catching
of live shrimp in one (1) location and then transporting them to the dealer's licensed
live bait camp by truck shall first make written application to the commission providing
the make and model of the truck, a Mississippi license tag number and shall be responsible
for its adherence to all regulations duly adopted by the commission for the transportation
of live bait shrimp. Upon receipt of the application, the commission shall verify
that the applicant is in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and
after that verification the commission shall issue a permit authorizing the transportation
of live shrimp. SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force
from and after July 1, 2021.
