Ch. 665 LAWS OF MARYLAND

WHEREAS, The fish and shellfish resources of the State of Maryland
contribute, directly and indirectly, hundreds of millions of dollars annually to the
economy of the State; and

WHEREAS, The abundance of many of these resources has declined dramatically
over the past thirty years; and

WHEREAS, The signatories to the 1987 Chesapeake Bay agreement, including
the State of Maryland, have pledged to develop Bay-wide fisheries management plans
for all commercially and recreationally important species of fish and shellfish; and

WHEREAS, Past attempts to manage fisheries in a piecemeal fashion have not
proven to be effective; and

WHEREAS, White Paper Committees convened by the Department of Natural
Resources, and involving all other interested parties, have proven extremely effective in
developing comprehensive and long-range management plans for the striped bass and
oyster; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Natural Resources

[4-2A-05.2] 4-214.

(A) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE
MEANINGS INDICATED:

(1) "CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES" MEANS
1 OR MORE TECHNIQUES THROUGH WHICH THE OBJECTIVES OF A
FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN ARE ACHIEVED;

(2) "FISHERY" OR "FISHERY RESOURCE" MEANS:

(I) ONE OR MORE STOCKS OF FISH WHICH CAN BE
TREATED AS A UNIT FOR PURPOSES OF CONSERVATION AND
MANAGEMENT AND WHICH ARE IDENTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF
GEOGRAPHIC, SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, RECREATIONAL, AND
ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS; OR

(II) THE GROUP OR INDUSTRY HARVESTING THOSE
STOCKS;

(3) "FISHERY MANAGEMENT" MEANS THE SYSTEM USED TO
CONSERVE AND ALLOCATE THE FISHERY RESOURCE, INCLUDING
RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION, DETERMINATION OF OBJECTIVES
AND MANAGEMENT MEASURES, AND ESTABLISHMENT, ENFORCEMENT,
AND PERIODIC EVALUATION OF REGULATIONS; AND

(4) "FISHERY MANAGEMENT PLAN" MEANS A DOCUMENT OR
REPORT THAT CONTAINS A SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF A GIVEN

- 2834 -