THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2159

THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024

S.D. 1

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 aquaculture, that expand the State's priority on food by including freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms 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 aquaculture, that expand the State's priority on food by including freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as a viable food source.

     (b)  As part of the updated state agriculture functional plan, which shall include aquaculture 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 aquaculture;

     (2)  Research the agricultural and economic impact that freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms have 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 freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms in the State;

     (4)  Classify and regulate freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as a food commodity in the State; and

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

     (c)  The governor shall submit the updated 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, "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.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

 

 

Report Title:

DOA; OPSD; State Agriculture Functional Plan; Aquaculture

 

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 aquaculture, that expand the State's priority on food by including freshwater and saltwater aquatic organisms as a viable food source.  Requires the Governor to submit the updated plan to the Legislature prior to the Regular Session of 2026.  (SD1)

 

 

 

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