1 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING CHAIRPERSONS: Representative Mike Demicco, Senator Christine Cohen SENATORS: Kushner, Formica, Miner, Haskell, Somers REPRESENTATIVES: Arconti, Bolinsky, Dillon, Gucker, Hayes, Kennedy, McGorty, Mushinsky, Rebimbas, Ryan, Wilson, Gresko, Harding, Borer, Dubitsky, Horn, MacLachlan, Michel, O'Dea, Piscopo, Reyes, Simms, Vargas, Young, D'Agostino REP. DEMICCO (21ST): Good Morning, I'd like to convene the public hearing for the Environment Committee for Friday, February 15, 2019. As many of you know, the first hour of the public hearing is traditionally reserved for elected officials and public officials, and we will -- we will stick with that tradition, and then after the first hour, we will then alternate between public officials and members of the public. So, those are the ground rules. Anyhow, everyone has three minutes, and then committee members will ask questions if they so choose. We would ask everyone to be respectful and ask that there be no -- no demonstrations of approval or disapproval. We don't want anyone to feel intimidated in any way. So, you know, please be mindful of that. So, the first person signed up to testify today is Senator Paul Formica. Senator, welcome. 2 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING SENATOR FORMICA (20th): Good morning again, Chairman Demicco and Chairman Cohen, Senator Miner, and I believe Representative Harding is the other. Thank you for the opportunity to spend a minute or two to talk to you about a couple of bills that I'm -- that I'd like to offer some conversation on, committee Bill 5251 and committee Bill 226, that I'll be speaking with today. With regard to committee Bill 5251, I think that everybody in the industry agrees that the taking of shark fins without taking the rest of the fish is not something that anyone is in favor for. I think we're all universally opposed to that type of barbaric way of gathering. But, the way the law, as written, it would seem to eliminate the opportunity to do any type of shark fishing whatsoever. And I have talked to the charter boat captains in my district, and I have a letter (I don't know if you've seen that letter, but I'll make sure that you get the letter from them talking about the economic opportunities that they have for shark fishing in our region)and the language says possession, sale, offers for sale, trades -- any shark fin, so it could be a fin that's attached to a fish that gets sold for meat or whatever. So, I'd like to offer up some changes, perhaps slowly harvested fins, or unless the entire fish is used, or some kind of language I hope that the committee could come up with so that it would highlight the fact that the barbaric act of just taking a fish, finning it, throwing it back in to let it sink into the bottom of the ocean is not something anybody supports, and I think you'll be 3 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING listening to a number of fisherman who I see sitting behind me who'll probably talk about the same thing. With regard to committee Bill 226, this kind of solves a problem, and I know that Senator Miner has been working on this with the industry. This is an opportunity that would take advantage of licenses that are given to commercial fisherman in New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, specifically in Connecticut, where they can land their allocated quota in Connecticut, and then if there's leftover quota, with notification, they can bring it to Rhode Island and/or New York and take advantage of the quota there instead of having the opportunity to not -- to have extra fish that may have to just get thrown overboard or whatever happens to that fish. Because you can't just throw a net in and put a meter on it and say I'm only bringin' up 100 pounds. So, there's opportunity for fixing it. So, some of the language in here, I think will be tweaked. I think you'll hear more about that from the industry professionals, specifically line 18 and 19, prior notification to the DEP not later than 48 hours prior. I mean, a lot of these guys aren't fishing 48 hours prior, and the industry standard is one to two hours. You know, so I think talking to the experts behind me might make that clear, and then the opportunity to provide for a seasonal date on this, which could be winter fishing season or instead of a year round. So, I offer those as conversation pieces, but I'm glad and excited for the opportunity for both of these bills to come forward. One rights a wrong. The other, you know, helps our great commercial industry, and I will add that in Stonington and New 4 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING London, most people don't realize nearly ten million pounds of fish per years run through those operations and gets distributed elsewhere. So, it's a great industry, and it's got a long history here in the state of Connecticut. So, I am mindful of your busy day today, and I thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. REP. DEMICCO (21ST): Thank you, Senator. I just have one question for you with regards to the dual landings. We have testimony from the DEEP Commissioner-designate that the legislation that's proposed, it might be advisable to apply it to a certain type of fish but not to other -- other species. Does that comport with what you understand? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): I think probably the primary fish would be fluke or, you know, that would be applicable to this, but, you know, if there were another species, perhaps sea bass or whatever, that might fall under the, you know, the auspices. I don't know about limiting, you know, legislation on just one thing, but I think that's probably where the commissioner came from on that, but I'd speak to these guys behind me 'cause they're out on the water every day, even when it's five degrees out. REP. DEMICCO (21ST): Thank you, thank you. So, Senator Cohen has a question for you. Co-Chair. SENATOR COHEN (12TH): Good morning. SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Good morning, Madam Speaker. 5 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING SENATOR COHEN (12TH): Thank you for your testimony. I just had a couple of questions, and perhaps they are better suited for the fishermen. I don't know what your knowledge level is of this, but what -- could you tell me a little bit about when a fisherman meets the qualification of, you know, the amount that they can land, what happens with the fish that they have to discard? Are they still alive? Are they dead and they toss them back? Could you explain a little bit about that process? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): As I said, you can't put a meter on the fish to -- on the net to say what's comin' up, so the best question would be to ask these guys what they do with it, but, you know, I suspect that it's not the best use of the fish if they can't bring it in. And, I think, that's what the intent of this bill is to address the opportunity to use everything (1) so it doesn't get wasted and (2) so it gets counted and gets sold. SENATOR COHEN (12TH): And also, you know, in referring to my co-chair's comment on the testimony from DEEP Commissioner-designate Dykes indicated that they are working with the other regulatory authorities in Rhode Island and New York to implement a pilot program. It looks like they're shooting for a target date of 2020. Is this something that you think would be agreeable to the fishing industry? SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): I believe -- again, you'll speak to them -- but I believe the dates for the winter fishing may be January 1 on. I'm not quite sure. Senator Miner might know the answer to that, but if it is, that would be 2020, as long as we 6 February 15, 2019 nn ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE 11:00 a.m. PUBLIC HEARING could get it forward. If the winter season starts November 15, then I would suggest the pilot season address that as well. REP. DEMICCO (21st): Thank you. Representative Michel. REP. MICHEL (146TH): Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for testifying. Regarding Senate Bill 226, it seems to me if there's more fish in our state or in the other adjacent state, then the resources of one state could be used to compensate for the lack of resources in another state. Fish travel, and so if every day one area redistributes to the other areas, then overall we would be increasing the take of wildlife from our waters, therefore, potentially hurting the fish population even more, therefore causing more imbalance for the neighboring states as well. So, can you comment on this please. Thank you. SENATOR FORMICA (20TH): Thank you very much for that, and I'm sure that that's a concern; however, I think this is trying to solve a problem that might find fish on the deck of a boat that they can't bring in.