THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2159

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

S.D. 2

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

 

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, which includes 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 seven million 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:

     (1)  Require the state agriculture functional plan to include additional agricultural economic updates, including updates on aquaculture, that expand the State's priority on food by including freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as viable food sources; and

     (2)  Require the department of agriculture and office of planning and sustainable development to produce a report on freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms prior to updating the state agriculture functional plan.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 226, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§226-     Other objectives and policies for the economy--agriculture.  (a)  Pursuant to section 226-55, 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 aquaculture, that expand the State's priority on food by including freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as a viable food source.

     (b)  Prior to each update of the state agriculture functional plan, the department of agriculture and the office of planning and sustainable development shall produce a report on freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms that may include the following elements:

     (1)  Objectives, policies, and actions related to aquaculture;

     (2)  Research on the agricultural and economic impact that freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms have on food self-sufficiency in the State, including their impact on:

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

          (B)  Exports;

     (3)  Data on the wholesale and retail sales of freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms in the State;

     (4)  Classification and regulation of freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as a food commodity in the State;

     (5)  Incorporation of aquaculture into the state agriculture functional plan related to increased food security and food self-sufficiency; and

     (6)  Research and monitoring, performed in collaboration with Native Hawaiian organizations, including but not limited to the office of Hawaiian affairs, of the impact that the expansion of aquacultural markets may have on the State's ocean ecosystems as well as Hawaii's traditional and customary fishing practices.

     (c)  For the purposes of this section, "freshwater and saltwater aquatic organism" 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.  The department of agriculture shall submit the first report on freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms required by section 2 of this Act, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2026.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 3000.

 

 

Report Title:

HDOA; OPSD; State Agriculture Functional Plan; Aquaculture Report

 

Description:

Requires the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development, to prepare a report on freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms regarding their agricultural and economic impact on the State's food self-sufficiency.  Requires the Governor to submit a report on the impacts of freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026.  Effective 7/1/3000.  (HD1)

 

 

 

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