Ocean Protection Council: Aquatic Invasive Species Working Group.

Existing law establishes the Ocean Protection Council, and prescribes the membership and functions and duties of the council. Existing law 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 to improve the effectiveness of state efforts to protect ocean resources within existing fiscal limitations. Existing law also establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board, and prescribes its functions and duties with regard to land preservation and species protection and control. This bill would require the council and the board to enter into a memorandum of agreement to jointly establish an Aquatic Invasive Species Working Group for the development and implementation of an aquatic invasive species control program. The bill would require the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to appoint a member of the council or its executive director to chair the working group, comprised of specified members appointed by the secretary. The bill would prescribe the functions and duties of the working group with regard to the management of aquatic invasive species within different regions of the state. The bill would require the working group, no later than January 1, 2014, to prepare and submit to the Legislature a report containing recommendations for future legislation pertaining to the management of aquatic invasive species in the state.