§ 120-70.62. Powers and duties.
§ 120‑70.62. Powers andduties.
The Commission shall have thefollowing powers and duties:
(1) To monitor and studythe current seafood industry in North Carolina including studies of thefeasibility of increasing the State's production, processing, and marketing ofseafood;
(2) To study thepotential for increasing the role of aquaculture in all regions of the State;
(3) To evaluate thefeasibility of creating a central permitting office for fishing and aquaculturematters;
(4) To evaluate actionsof the Division of Marine Fisheries of the Department of Environment andNatural Resources, the Wildlife Resources Commission of the Department ofEnvironment and Natural Resources and of any other board, commission,department, or agency of the State or local government as such actions relateto the seafood and aquaculture industries;
(5) To makerecommendations regarding regulatory matters relating to the seafood andaquaculture industries including, but not limited to:
a. Increasing theState's representation and decision‑making ability by dividing the Statebetween the Atlantic and South Atlantic regions of the National Division ofMarine Fisheries; and
b. Evaluating thenecessity to substantially increase penalties for trespass and theft ofshellfish and other aquaculture products;
(6) To review andevaluate changes in federal law and regulations, relevant court decisions, andchanges in technology affecting the seafood and aquaculture industries;
(7) To review existingand proposed State law and rules affecting the seafood and aquacultureindustries and to determine whether any modification of law or rules is in thepublic interest;
(8) To make reports andrecommendations, including draft legislation, to the General Assembly from timeto time as to any matter relating to the powers and duties set out in thissection; and
(9) To undertake suchadditional studies as it deems appropriate or as may from time to time berequested by the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore of theSenate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, either house of theGeneral Assembly, the Legislative Research Commission, or the Joint LegislativeCommission on Governmental Operations, and to make such reports andrecommendations to the General Assembly regarding such studies as it deemsappropriate. (1989,c. 802, s. 12.1; 1997‑443, s. 11A.119(a); 2005‑386, s. 1.8.)