|
This bill changes
the commercial menhaden fishing license requirements beginning in 2023. Under
the current criteria, there are no pre-qualifications to obtain a commercial
menhaden license. The new criteria will limit who may obtain a license to
those who possessed a commercial menhaden license in 2 of the following 3
years: 2019, 2020 or 2021 and reported legal landings of menhaden of 25,000
pounds or more in at least 1 of the following years: 2019, 2020, 2021 or
2022. The Department of Marine Resources does not anticipate a significant
change in license revenue from imposing new license qualifications because
even though fewer will be eligible, a higher percentage of those individuals
will be motivated to maintain their eligibility in the future. |