Bill Text: MS SB2855 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi Senate Bill 2855 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Marine Resources; authorize DMR to create a pilot marine reserve using Deepwater Horizon oil spill funds.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [SB2855 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-SB2855-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Ports and Marine Resources

By: Senator(s) Baria

Senate Bill 2855

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES TO CREATE A PILOT MARINE RESERVE PROJECT; TO AUTHORIZE THE USE OF FUNDS FROM THE DEEPWATER HORIZON OIL SPILL FOR THE MARINE RESERVE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources and the Department of Marine Resources shall adopt rules to establish, study, monitor, evaluate and enforce a pilot marine reserve in the territorial waters of Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico.

(2) The research plan shall contain the following elements regarding the marine reserve established in this section:

(a) A biological assessment, including information on habitat characterization, biological resources, local knowledge and, for the established pilot marine reserves, monitoring plans.

(b) A socioeconomic assessment, including a description of human uses, net effects on sport and commercial fisheries and communities and, for the established pilot marine reserves, monitoring plans.

(c) The consequences of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on the biodiversity of marine life in Mississippi territorial waters.

(d) Formation of community teams, with diverse and balanced stakeholder representation that includes local government, recreational fishing industry, commercial fishing industry, nonfishing industry, recreationalists, conservation, coastal watershed councils, relevant marine and avian scientists, to collaborate and develop recommendations for potential marine reserves, considering the biological and socioeconomic information developed under this section. Collaboration may be facilitated by a neutral outside party hired through a competitive bidding process.

(e) Provision of information on the process and data gathered to interested parties and made available to the public.

(f) Development of scientifically based goals specific to each of the marine reserve sites, incorporating continuity and cumulative outcomes, benefits and impacts.

(3) The data and recommendations produced from the work plan and other available nearshore data shall be used by the Department of Marine Resources to recommend the number, size, location and restriction limits of the potential sites for other marine reserves.

SECTION 2. (1) The State Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall report on the results of the work plan to an appropriate legislative committees on or before November 30, 2014, regarding:

(a) The study and establishment of the pilot marine reserves;

(b) The study and evaluation of potential marine reserves; and

SECTION 3. The Department of Marine Resources may accept gifts, grants or contributions from any source for deposit in the Seafood Fund for the creation and study of the pilot marine reserve. The department is authorized to utilize any funds received from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to implement this act and other actions related to the pilot marine reserve.

SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.