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MDMR outlines task force and labeling changes under House Bill 602 and recent lease-related bills
Summary
Commissioners were briefed on legislative changes affecting oyster leases and a provision in House Bill 602 requiring imported/domestic labeling on seafood advertising; staff said they are forming a task force specified in HB 602.
Agency leadership briefed the commission on recent legislation affecting oyster and aquaculture leases and an advertising-disclosure requirement in House Bill 602 that will require seafood sold or advertised in the state to be labeled as "imported" or "domestic."
A staff member summarized three bills affecting aquaculture and lease rules: one bill (house bill 602) includes a task force provision that specifies agency designees and industry members; other bills referenced change on-bottom and off-bottom lease rules, including a provision that would allow leaseholders to retain up to 80 percent under certain new authority and another measure that removed county liability for off-bottom leases and limited counties' ability to file liens against property.
The nut graf: staff said the labeling requirement in HB 602 (line 91) compels restaurants, menus and billboards advertising seafood to indicate whether the seafood is "imported" or "domestic," though the bill does not require listing the country of origin. Staff said the department will issue guidance and convene the statutorily-defined task force to implement the bill's provisions.
The director said the agency is assembling the task force mandated by HB 602 and that the bill names members (agency director or designee, the secretary of agriculture or designee, tourism and industry representatives, a restaurant association representative and gaming interests). Staff said they will publish guidance promptly if the task force is not formed within a week.
Less-critical details: staff reported the Hoenn Group is reviewing on-bottom lease applications and that the department is planning a public hearing for a 2019–2020 federal carryover assistance program with roughly $2.9 million available for oyster and shrimp commercial fishermen.
