LaValle Bill to Help Commercial Fishermen Unanimously Passes Senate.

A  bill to help commercial fishermen by allowing them to aggregate their daily catch limits over a seven day period and conserve fuel, unanimously passed the Senate on Tuesday it was announced by New York State Senator Kenneth P. LaValle (R-C-I, Port Jefferson), the sponsor of the bill.

LaValle said his bill (S. 1456A) allows fishermen, for example, to catch three times the daily catch limit on Monday and two times the limit on Wednesday and then stay off the water until the following Monday when a consecutive period of seven days is complete. The bill also allows individuals with different fishing licenses to go out and catch each of their daily limits from the same boat (currently prohibited).

“Fuel for running a fishing boat is extremely expensive,” LaValle said, and  “it significantly cuts into the already slim profits of fishermen. This bill allows fishermen to conserve

fuel since they would be allowed to aggregate their daily catch limits over a seven day period.”

The bill would sunset on January 1, 2013 when the success of the bill’s innovative approach could be fully evaluated and the necessity of an extension determined, LaValle said.