House Bill 594

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-15-101, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE THE COMPOSITION OF GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION; TO BRING FORWARD SECTION 49-15-103, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, FOR PURPOSES OF AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 49-15-101, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

49-15-101. The Governor of this state is hereby authorized and directed to execute a compact on behalf of the State of Mississippi with any one or more of the states of Florida, Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana, and with such other states as may enter into the compact, legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMPACT

The contracting states solemnly agree:

ARTICLE I

Whereas the Gulf Coast states have the proprietary interest in and jurisdiction over fisheries in the waters within their respective boundaries, it is the purpose of this compact to promote the better utilization of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico, by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause.

ARTICLE II

This compact shall become operative immediately as to those states ratifying it whenever any two (2) or more of the states of Florida, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi have ratified it and the Congress has given its consent, pursuant to Article I, Section 10, of the Constitution of the United States. Any state contiguous to any of the aforementioned states or riparian upon waters which flow into waters under the jurisdiction of any of the aforementioned states and which are frequented by anadromous fish or marine species may become a party hereto as hereinafter provided.

ARTICLE III

Each state joining herein shall appoint three (3) representatives to a commission hereby constituted and designated as the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. One (1) shall be the head of the administrative agency of such state charged with the conservation of the fishery resources to which this compact pertains or, if there be more than one (1) officer or agency, the official of that state named by the governor thereof. The second shall be a member of the legislature of such state designated by such legislature or in the absence of such designation, such legislator shall be designated by the governor thereof, provided that if it is constitutionally impossible to appoint a legislator as a commissioner from such state, the second member shall be appointed in such manner as may be established by law. The legislative membership shall alternate between the Mississippi Senate and House of Representatives and the designated member shall be a member of the Senate Ports and Marine Resources Committee or the House Marine Resources Committee. The term shall be six (6) years. No legislative member from the Mississippi Senate or House of Representatives shall serve two (2) consecutive terms. The third shall be a citizen who shall have a knowledge of and interest in the marine fisheries, to be appointed by the governor. This commission shall be a body corporate with the powers and duties set forth herein.

ARTICLE IV

The duty of the said commission shall be to make inquiry and ascertain from time to time such methods, practices, circumstances and conditions as may be disclosed for bringing about the conservation and the prevention of the depletion and physical waste of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the Gulf Coast. The commission shall have power to recommend the coordination of the exercise of the police powers of the several states within their respective jurisdictions to promote the preservation of these fisheries and their protection against overfishing, waste, depletion or any abuse whatsoever and to assure a continuing yield from the fishery resources of the aforementioned states. To that end the commission shall draft and recommend to the governors and legislatures of the various signatory states, legislation dealing with the conservation of the marine, shell and anadromous fisheries of the Gulf seaboard. The commission shall from time to time present to the governor of each compacting state its recommendations relating to enactments to be presented to the legislature of that state in furthering the interest and purposes of this compact. The commission shall consult with and advise the pertinent administrative agencies in the states party hereto with regard to problems connected with the fisheries and recommend the adoption of such regulations as it deems advisable. The commission shall have power to recommend to the states party hereto the stocking of the waters of such states with fish and fish eggs or joint stocking by some or all of the states party hereto, and when two (2) or more states shall jointly stock waters the commission shall act as the coordinating agency for such stocking.

ARTICLE V

The commission shall elect from its number a chairman and vice chairman and shall appoint and at its pleasure remove or discharge such officers and employees as may be required to carry the provisions of this compact into effect and shall fix and determine their duties, qualifications and compensation. Said commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business. It may establish and maintain one or more offices for the transaction of its business and may meet at any time or place but must meet at least once a year.

ARTICLE VI

No action shall be taken by the commission in regard to its general affairs except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole number of compacting states. No recommendation shall be made by the commission in regard to any species of fish except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the compacting states which have an interest in such species. The commission shall define what shall be an interest.

ARTICLE VII

The Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior of the Government of the United States shall act as the primary research agency of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission cooperating with the research agencies in each state for that purpose. Representatives of the said Fish and Wildlife Service shall attend the meetings of the commission. An advisory committee to be representative of the commercial saltwater fishermen and the saltwater anglers and such other interests of each state as the commissioners deem advisable may be established by the commissioners from each state for the purpose of advising those commissioners upon such recommendations as it may desire to make.

ARTICLE VIII

When any state other than those named specifically in Article II of this compact shall become a party hereto for the purpose of conserving its anadromous fish or marine species in accordance with the provisions of Article II, the participation of such state in the action of the commission shall be limited to such species of fish.

ARTICLE IX

Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit the powers of the proprietary interest of any signatory state or to repeal or prevent the enactment of any legislation or the enforcement of any requirement by a signatory state imposing additional conditions and restrictions to conserve its fisheries.

ARTICLE X

It is agreed that any two (2) or more states party hereto may further amend this compact by acts of their respective legislatures, subject to approval of Congress as provided in Article I, Section X, of the Constitution of the United States, to designate the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission as a joint regulating authority for the joint regulation of specific fisheries affecting only such states as shall so compact, and at their joint expense. The representatives of such states shall constitute a separate section of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission for the exercise of the additional powers so granted but the creation of such section shall not be deemed to deprive the states so compacting of any of their privileges or powers in the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission as constituted under the other articles of this compact.

ARTICLE XI

Continued absence of representation or of any representative on the commission from any state party hereto shall be brought to the attention of the governor thereof.

ARTICLE XII

The operating expenses of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission shall be borne by the states party hereto. Such initial appropriations as set forth below shall be made available yearly until modified as hereinafter provided:

Florida............................................. $ 3,600.00

Alabama............................................. 1,000.00

Mississippi......................................... 1,000.00

Louisiana........................................... 5,000.00

Texas............................................... 2,500.00

Total............................................... $13,100.00

The proration and total cost per annum of Thirteen Thousand One Hundred Dollars ($13,100.00), above mentioned, is estimative only, for initial operations, and may be changed when found necessary by the commission. Each state party hereto agrees to provide in the manner most acceptable to it, the travel cost and necessary expenses of its commissioners and other representatives to and from meetings of the commission or its duly constituted sections or committees.

ARTICLE XIII

This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each compacting state until renounced by act of the legislature of such state, in such form as it may choose; provided that such renunciation shall not become effective until six (6) months after the effective date of the action taken by the legislature. Notice of such renunciation shall be given the other states party hereto by the secretary of state of compacting state so renouncing upon passage of the act.

SECTION 2. Section 49-15-103, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows:

49-15-103. In pursuance of Article III of said compact there shall be three (3) members (hereinafter called commissioners) of the Gulf States Marine Commission (hereinafter called commission) from the State of Mississippi. The first commissioner from the State of Mississippi shall be president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission of the State of Mississippi ex-officio; and the term of any such ex-officio commissioner shall terminate at the time the said commissioner ceases to hold said office of president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, and his successor as a member of this commission shall be his successor as president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission. The second commissioner from the State of Mississippi shall be a legislator; and the term of any such ex-officio commissioner shall terminate at the time he ceases to hold said legislative office, and his successor as commissioner shall be named in like manner. The Governor (by and with the advice and consent of the Senate) shall appoint a citizen as a third commissioner, who shall have a knowledge of the marine fisheries problems. The term of said commissioner shall be for a period of three (3) years and, in addition, he shall serve until his successor shall be appointed and qualified. Vacancies occurring in the office of such commissioner from any reason or cause shall be filled by appointment by the Governor (by and with the advice and consent of the Senate) for the unexpired term. The president of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, as ex-officio commissioner, may delegate from time to time, to any deputy or other member of the Mississippi Seafood Commission, the power to be present and participate, including voting as his representative, or substitute at any meeting of or hearing by or other proceeding of the commission.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2006.