Ocean resources: fishing.

The California Ocean Protection Act establishes the Ocean Protection Council in state government and provides that the council consists of the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, the Secretary for Environmental Protection, the Chair of the State Lands Commission, and 2 public members appointed by the Governor. The act requires the council, among other things, to coordinate activities of state agencies that are related to the protection and conservation of coastal waters and ocean ecosystems and to establish policies to coordinate the collection and sharing of scientific data related to coast and ocean resources between agencies. The act requires the council to develop and implement a voluntary sustainable seafood promotion program. The act also creates the California Ocean Protection Trust Fund in the State Treasury and authorizes moneys deposited in the fund, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to be expended by the council for projects and activities authorized by the council consistent with the purposes of the act. This bill would declare certain policy goals of the state and require the council to implement these goals to the extent they are feasible and consistent with other policy goals of the state for marine conservation and fisheries management. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature that the council give prescribed projects and activities relating to commercial and recreational fishing the highest priority for assistance. The bill would define the term "small boat" for purposes of the act.