Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman MARLENE CARIDE
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Allows processing of wild striped bass caught out of State for sale out of State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the processing of certain striped bass and amending P.L.1991, c.43.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.1991, c.43 (C.23:5-45.3) is amended to read as follows:
2. a. No person shall sell, barter, possess for sale or barter, or offer for sale or barter any striped bass [, whether] caught within the jurisdictional limits of this State [or otherwise, provided that this section shall not prohibit the shipment or transportation of striped bass from another state or country into the State which is destined for shipment or transportation out of the State or prohibit the sale of commercially raised hybrid striped bass].
b. A person may:
(1) ship, transport, process, sell, barter, possess for sale or barter, or offer for sale or barter in the State any commercially raised hybrid striped bass; or
(2) ship, transport, or process any striped bass caught outside of the jurisdictional limits of the State, provided that the person possesses sufficient documentation, as determined by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, to prove that the striped bass was legally caught within the jurisdictional limits of another state or country that allows fishing for striped bass. Nothing in this paragraph shall authorize a person to sell, barter, possess for sale or barter, or offer for sale or barter any such striped bass.
(cf: P.L.1991, c.43, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would allow striped bass legally harvested outside of the State to be processed in New Jersey for shipment or transportation out of the State.
Current law, section 2 of P.L.1991, c.43 (C.23:5-45.3), provides that no person shall sell, barter, possess for sale or barter, or offer for sale or barter any striped bass, whether caught within the jurisdictional limits of this State or otherwise. However, this law does not prohibit the shipment or transportation of striped bass from another state or country into the State which is destined for shipment or transportation out of the State.
This bill would provide that striped bass caught outside the jurisdictional limits of New Jersey destined for shipment or transportation out of the State may be processed within the State. The bill would require the person shipping, transporting, or processing the striped bass to possess sufficient documentation, as determined by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, to prove that the striped bass was legally caught within the jurisdictional limits of another state or country that allows fishing for striped bass.
This bill does not remove the prohibition on the sale or barter of any striped bass in the State, whether caught within the jurisdictional limits of the State or otherwise.