Aquaculture.

Existing law establishes within the Department of Fish and Game an aquaculture coordinator to perform prescribed duties relating to the aquaculture industry. Existing law requires the owner of an aquaculture facility to register certain information with the department by March 1 of each year, and requires the department to impose prescribed fees for registration and renewal. Existing law also requires, in addition to the registration and renewal fees, a surcharge fee to be paid at the time of registration by the owner of an aquaculture facility if the gross annual sales of aquaculture products of the facility during the prior calendar year exceed $25,000. Existing law imposes a penalty for delinquent payment of fees. Existing law requires the department to expend moneys collected solely on the aquaculture program and to maintain the internal accountability necessary to ensure that all restrictions on the expenditure of these fee revenues are met. This bill would include in the duties of the coordinator the requirement to coordinate with the Aquaculture Development Committee. The bill, until January 1, 2018, would increase those registration, renewal, surcharge, and penalty fees, as prescribed. The bill would require the department to provide an accounting of the aquaculture program account balance and expenditures upon request of the Aquaculture Development Committee or the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture. The bill would restrict the use of these fee revenues to paying the costs of the administration and enforcement of the department's aquaculture program. The bill would require the department to prepare and submit to the Legislature, on or before February 1, 2017, a report regarding the aquaculture program.