Bill > S410

This bill establishes a special commission to study the effects of coastal and ocean acidification and its existing and potential effects on species that are commercially harvested and grown along the Massachusetts coast. The commission will identify the actual and potential effects of coastal and ocean acidification on commercially valuable marine species, identify scientific data and knowledge gaps that may hinder the commonwealth's ability to craft policy and other responses to coastal and ocean acidification, and prioritize strategies for filling those gaps to provide policies and tools to respond to the adverse effects of coastal and ocean acidification on commercially important fisheries and the commonwealth's shellfish aquaculture industry. The commission will consist of 19 members, including legislators, representatives from environmental and community groups, commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, and scientists, as well as state agency officials. The commission will review existing scientific literature and data, conduct public hearings, and submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including draft legislation, by December 31, 2018.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/190/S410