NY S03595

Creates a 13-member marine fisheries licensing task force within the Department of Environmental Conservation to recommend legislative and regulatory reforms for commercial fishing licenses.

Task force membership includes 3 members appointed by the Senate majority leader, 3 by the Assembly speaker, 6 by the governor (all commercial fishing representatives), and the director of SUNY Stony Brook's marine sciences research center as chair; all members must be county residents bordering marine and coastal districts.

Requires the task force to submit a report with specific legislative and regulatory recommendations to the legislature and governor by April 1, 2024, and mandates a minimum of four public meetings before adopting the report.

Task force must address 13 issues including licensing goals, commercial fisherman definitions, marine access, license numbers, latent licenses, qualifications, transfers, new entrants, apprenticeship programs, and funding for implementation.

Expires and is repealed December 31, 2024.