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Senate committee advances bill to centralize aquaculture import permits, seeks $1 million for risk framework
Summary
Senators voted to pass SB 177 with amendments to shift aquatic livestock permitting to the Division of Animal Industry, create a risk-based assessment and biocontainment standards, and place a requested $1,000,000 appropriation into the committee report for further consideration.
Senators on the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Environment advanced SB 177 on Jan. 24, a bill authorizing the Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Industry to establish an assessment and approval process for importing and moving aquatic livestock. The measure directs the aquaculture program to develop a risk-based framework and biocontainment standards for aquatic livestock assessment and approvals; committee members voted to pass the bill with amendments and to move a requested $1,000,000 appropriation into the committee report for consideration.
Department of Agriculture testimony emphasized the industry’s growth and the need to balance expansion with protections for native species. Sharon Hurd, Department of Agriculture director, said the appropriation would “assist with that research and provide staff and expertise to help grow the aquaculture industry,” and characterized the funding as necessary to identify permitting bottlenecks.
Todd Lowe of the Aquaculture Development Program described an administrative change the bill seeks: moving permitting from the Plant Quarantine Branch to the Animal Industry Division so veterinarians who handle other livestock can administer aquatic-livestock permitting in line with USDA guidelines. Lowe said that approach would “be better administered by the veterinarians who do it in the same way they would do all the other movement of the livestock.”
Supporters, including the Hawaii Aquaculture and Aquaponics Association and industry representatives, said the risk-based approach and adoption of biocontainment standards would streamline regulated imports while reducing ecological risks. Angela Melody Young of ROAR CARES testified in strong support and urged clarity for quarantine and depopulation procedures when imported aquatic livestock pose a risk to in‑state species.
At decision making, the committee adopted the chair’s recommendation to pass SB 177 with amendments that blank the appropriation and insert it into the committee report for further consideration; the committee also deferred the bill’s effective date to July 1, 2050. The roll-call recorded in the transcript showed the chair and vice chair voting aye, Senator Rhoads and Senator Auer voting aye, and Senator DeCoite excused (four in favor).
