Establishes the Empire State Fishing Trail program within the department of economic development to promote fishing within the state and ensure that fishing tournaments are conducted in the state.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
3360
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 25, 2011
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Introduced by M. of A. GABRYSZAK, GUNTHER, SCHROEDER, ZEBROWSKI, LUPAR-
DO, TITONE, SAYWARD -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. AMEDORE,
BOYLAND, DESTITO, MAGEE, MARKEY, MAYERSOHN, McENENY, REILLY, SWEENEY
-- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to creating
the Empire State Fishing Trail program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
2 article 5-F to read as follows:
3 ARTICLE 5-F
4 EMPIRE STATE FISHING TRAIL PROGRAM
5 Section 181-f. Legislative intent.
6 181-g. Definition.
7 181-h. General functions, powers and duties of the commissioner.
8 § 181-f. Legislative intent. New York state is home to many water
9 resources including hundreds of miles of Atlantic ocean coastline, tens
10 of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, thousands of lakes and
11 ponds, and millions of acres of wetlands. The fishing opportunities are
12 vast and unique ranging from salt water to fresh water. The state has
13 consistently been recognized for its outstanding fisheries and has been
14 rated number one for bass fishing in the country. According to the Amer-
15 ican Sportfishing Association, anglers spend more than 1.1 billion
16 dollars on fishing trips, equipment and licenses, which support in
17 excess of seventeen thousand jobs throughout New York. Fishing tourna-
18 ments have risen in popularity and this state has regularly been the
19 host to national and international tournaments which bring worldwide
20 attention. As such, the state has an excellent opportunity to attract
21 more fishing tournaments, anglers, visitors and fishing related busi-
22 nesses.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00141-01-1
A. 3360 2
1 § 181-g. Definition. As used in this article, "fishing trail" shall
2 mean a series of fisheries in the state identified by the commissioner,
3 which may be linked by geography, quality and/or events.
4 § 181-h. General functions, powers and duties of the commissioner. The
5 commissioner, in cooperation with the commissioner of environmental
6 conservation, the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preser-
7 vation, and any local government official or entity, shall expand upon
8 the existing fishing promotion program by developing a coordinated
9 effort to promote the state's fishing opportunities, improve fishing
10 facilities, water quality and attract professional fishing tournaments
11 at locations along the trail, and ensure that top-level fishing tourna-
12 ments are secured at fisheries along the fishing trail.
13 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
