4216 - Aquaculture Advisory Committee.
§ 4216. Aquaculture Advisory Committee. (a) Establishment and composition.--The Aquaculture Advisory Committee is hereby established as a departmental advisory board within the department. The advisory committee shall consist of 21 members of whom the following 12 shall be members ex officio: (1) The secretary. (2) The Secretary of Environmental Protection. (3) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development. (4) The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. (5) The chairman and minority chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the Senate. (6) The chairman and minority chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives. (7) The chairman and minority chairman of the Game and Fisheries Committee of the Senate. (8) The chairman and minority chairman of the Game and Fisheries Committee of the House of Representatives. Ex officio members may designate a substitute for membership. Ex officio members cast votes at committee meetings. (b) Appointments by secretary.--The remaining nine members shall be appointed by the secretary as follows: (1) Three appointees must be active, resident cold or cool water aquaculture producers. (2) One appointee must be an active, resident warm water aquaculture producer. (3) One appointee must be an active, resident indoor aquaculture producer. (4) One appointee must be an active, resident servicer or supplier to the aquaculture industry. (5) One appointee must be an active, resident aquacultural wholesaler, food broker or food merchant. (6) One appointee must be an active, resident aquarium or ornamental species aquacultural merchant. (7) One appointee must be a representative of recreational sport fishing. (c) Tenure and convention.--All appointed members shall serve terms of three years. Ex officio members shall serve so long as the official continues to serve in an official position. The advisory committee shall convene at the discretion of the secretary or his designee, who shall serve as chairman of the committee. (d) Responsibility of committee.--The advisory committee shall draft and submit an aquacultural plan to the secretary on or before December 31, 1999. The focus of the plan shall be economic development to include recommendations for regulations necessary to foster development of aquaculture. The advisory committee shall also advise the secretary on matters relating to aquacultural production and development.