THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2159
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

Relating to Food SUSTAINABILITY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a growing consensus across scientific disciplines that seafood, including fish and all other animal products harvested from aquatic systems, plays a crucial role in food and nutrition security. The legislature also finds that the total annual value of the State's nearshore coral reef-associated fisheries is estimated to be between $10,300,000 and $16,400,000, with the majority of the value being associated with non-commercial fishing, which amounts to more than 7,000,000 meals per year. The legislature finds however, that the wild seafood system has fallen short of its full potential to enhance food and nutrition security for those most in need because the traditional framing of aquatic animals as a natural resource emphasizes economic development and biodiversity conservation objectives, and the discussions of food and nutrition security and aquatic animals have been disconnected from one another.

The purpose of this Act is to require the state agriculture functional plan to include additional agricultural economic updates, including updates on seafood sustainability, that expand the State's priority on food by including wild seafood as a viable food source.

SECTION 2. (a) Pursuant to section 226-55, Hawaii Revised Statutes, the department of agriculture, in coordination with the office of planning and sustainable development, shall prepare and periodically update the state agriculture functional plan to include other agricultural economic updates, including updates on seafood sustainability, that expand the State's priority on food by including wild seafood as a viable food source.

(b) As part of the updated state agriculture functional plan, which shall include seafood sustainability among other agricultural economic updates, the department of agriculture and the office of planning and sustainable development may:

(1) Establish objectives, policies, and actions related to seafood sustainability;

(2) Research the agricultural and economic impact that wild seafood has on food self-sufficiency in the State, including its influence on:

(A) Non-commercial consumption, such as community sharing and fisher household consumption; and

(B) Exports;

(3) Collect data on the wholesale and retail sales of wild seafood in the State;

(4) Classify and regulate wild seafood as a food commodity in the State; and

(5) Incorporate seafood sustainability into the state agriculture functional plan related to increased food security and food self-sufficiency.

(c) The governor shall submit the state agriculture functional plan pursuant to section 226-56, Hawaii Revised Statutes, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

(d) For the purposes of this section, "wild seafood" means naturally born or hatchery-raised fish and shellfish harvested in the wild through commercial, recreational, or subsistence fishing but excludes net-pen aquacultural or other farm-raised fish.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

DOA; OPSD; State Agriculture Functional Plan; Seafood Sustainability; Wild Seafood

Description:

Requires the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, to prepare and periodically update the State Agriculture Functional Plan to include other agricultural economic updates, including seafood sustainability, that expand the State's priority on food by including wild seafood as a viable food source. Requires the Governor to submit the plan to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026.

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