Expands provisions permitting free sport fishing clinics and permits instruction to be provided by an agent designated by the DEC.

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S6776-2011 Actions

• Jul 12, 2012: SIGNED CHAP.103
• Jul 6, 2012: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR
• May 30, 2012: returned to senate
• May 30, 2012: passed assembly
• May 30, 2012: ordered to third reading cal.678
• May 30, 2012: substituted for a10202
• May 7, 2012: referred to environmental conservation
• May 7, 2012: DELIVERED TO ASSEMBLY
• May 7, 2012: PASSED SENATE
• May 1, 2012: ADVANCED TO THIRD READING
• Apr 30, 2012: 2ND REPORT CAL.
• Apr 26, 2012: 1ST REPORT CAL.597
• Mar 21, 2012: REFERRED TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION

S6776-2011 Meetings

Environmental Conservation: Apr 26, 2012

S6776-2011 Calendars

Active List: May 7, 2012 , Floor Calendar: Apr 30, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 1, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 2, 2012 , Floor Calendar: May 7, 2012

S6776-2011 Votes

S6776-2011 Memo

BILL NUMBER:S6776

TITLE OF BILL:

An act
to amend the
environmental conservation law,
in relation to free sport fishing
clinics

PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

The bill would provide additional educational opportunities for
fishing without a license.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would amend Environmental Conservation Law
("ECL") � 11-0305(16) to expand the Department of Environmental
Conservation's ("DEC") authority to conduct free sport fishing
clinics and to authorize DEC to designate entities, in addition to
DEC employees, to conduct such clinics.

Section 2 of the bill provides for an immediate effective date.

EXISTING LAW:

DEC has authority to hold free fishing days pursuant to ECL
�11-0305(14). DEC employees are authorized to conduct up to four
sport fishing clinics per DEC region pursuant to ECL � 11-0305(16).

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

STATEMENT IN SUPPORT:

DEC conducts fishing clinics to help introduce individuals and
families to recreational angling. These clinics help connect New
York's citizens to nature, as well as provide instruction to novices
seeking to learn how to fish. For clinics designated as free sport
fishing clinics by DEC, participants are not required to have a
fishing license. Current authority limits to four the number of free
sport fishing clinics that may be held annually per DEC region, and
specifies that DEC employees must provide at least part of the
instruction at the events.

This bill would authorize DEC to expand the number of free sport
fishing clinics that may be conducted annually, allowing additional
people to be introduced to recreational angling without having to
purchase fishing licenses if the clinic is held on a fresh water

body. Similarly, if the clinic is held in the marine district, the
participant would not be required to sign up for the recreational
marine fishing registration to participate in the clinic. The bill
would also dispense
with the requirement that DEC staff provide the actual instruction and
allow organizations designated by DEC to conduct free sport fishing
clinics. Clinics conducted by such organizations in such a manner
would be undertaken pursuant to guidelines established by DEC.

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

It is possible that additional fishing license revenues and associated
expenditures will accrue if clinic participants introduced to
recreational angling via these clinics take up angling as an
individual or family activity.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This bill would take effect immediately.

S6776-2011 Text

                      S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
  ________________________________________________________________________

                                    6776

                              I N  SENATE

                               March 21, 2012
                                 ___________

  Introduced  by  Sen.  YOUNG -- (at request of the Department of Environ-
    mental Conservation) -- read  twice  and  ordered  printed,  and  when
    printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation

  AN  ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to free
    sport fishing clinics

    THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
  BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


    Section  1.  Subdivision  16  of  section 11-0305 of the environmental
  conservation law, as amended by chapter 46  of  the  laws  of  2011,  is
  amended to read as follows:

    16.  Notwithstanding  any  inconsistent provision of law, to authorize
  [no more than four] free sport fishing clinics [in each  year  for  each
  separate  administrative region of the department, provided however that
  nothing in this subdivision shall preclude the department from  conduct-
  ing additional free sport fishing clinics during free sport fishing days
  designated  by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision fourteen of this
  section]. A free sport fishing clinic shall include, but not be  limited
  to,  instruction provided by employees of the department OR ITS DESIGNEE
  in recreational angling, including its benefits and values, and may also
  include instruction and other information relevant to  an  understanding
  of  fisheries  management,  ethics  and  aquatic ecology and habitat. No
  license OR RECREATIONAL MARINE FISHING REGISTRATION is required to  take
  fish by angling while participating in a fishing clinic conducted by the
  department  OR ITS DESIGNEE that has been designated by the commissioner
  as a free sport  fishing  clinic.  Such  clinics  shall  be  implemented
  CONSISTENT  WITH  DEPARTMENT STANDARDS AND in a manner determined by the
  department to best provide public notice thereof and to maximize  public
  participation  therein,  so as to promote the recreational opportunities
  afforded by sport fishing.   Further,  the  commissioner  may  designate
  additional  fishing events organized through the department that provide
  physical or emotional rehabilitation for veterans, as defined in  subdi-
  vision  three  of  section  three hundred fifty of the executive law, or
  active duty members of the armed forces of the United States, as defined
  in 10 U.S.C. section 101(d)(1). No license OR RECREATIONAL MARINE  FISH-
  ING  REGISTRATION  shall  be  required  for such veterans or active duty
  members to take fish by angling while participating in these events.
    S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

   EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                        [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                             LBD14251-01-2