Crab pots and peeler pots; marine-biodegradable escape panels, penalty. (SB552)

Introduced By

Sen. Monty Mason (D-Williamsburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Crab pots and peeler pots; marine-biodegradable escape panels; penalty. Requires any crab pot sold in the Commonwealth and any peeler pot regulated by the Marine Resources Commission (the Commission), or used or sold in the Commonwealth, beginning January 1, 2019, to have two marine-biodegradable escape panels, defined in the bill, on different sidewalls of the upper chamber of the crab pot or peeler pot, as applicable. The bill requires that beginning July 1, 2020, any crab pot regulated by the Commission, or used or sold in the Commonwealth, have two such panels. The bill makes a violation of such provisions a Class 3 misdemeanor. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/09/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18102504D
01/09/2018Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
01/17/2018Impact statement from DPB (SB552)
01/18/2018Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (10-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
01/22/2018Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/23/2018Read second time
01/23/2018Reading of amendment waived
01/23/2018Committee amendment agreed to
01/23/2018Engrossed by Senate as amended SB552E
01/23/2018Printed as engrossed 18102504D-E
01/24/2018Read third time and defeated by Senate (15-Y 25-N) (see vote tally)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 12 minutes.

Comments

Dean nininger writes:

I vote no!

Randy Harding writes:

Vote NO on this bill.

Leon Price writes:

I vote no.
1. This will be far too costly for the commercial Waterman.A cull ring now last the life forbthe pot.
2. They have already taken the burden of so many regulations.

Alice Harding writes:

Please, vote NO on this bill.

Billy Fones writes:

I vote NO!!!!

Shannon Westman writes:

I vote NO to this bill!!

Dustin Westman writes:

My vote is NO!!

Bill Jenkins writes:

Vote NO!

Brandon eanes writes:

I vote NO!!!

Lucas Maaiak writes:

No

Kim Reid writes:

I vote No, this is much to costly for the watermen.

Jacob Jewell writes:

I vote NO!

Garrett Withers writes:

I vote NO

Douglas Gallagher writes:

I vote no!

David. Rowe writes:

Vote NO.

Jessica Gallagher writes:

I vote no!

Jay moody writes:

No !

Keith Jett writes:

I VOTE NO!

Clifton Burton writes:

I vote no

Skip Salyers writes:

Vote NO to this bill.

Floyd Salyers writes:

No way!

Loretta Dawson writes:

I vote no.

Carlton Harding writes:

Please, do not pass this bill!

Timmy Gough writes:

I vote no

Charles Owen writes:

I vote no

Johnny Boothe writes:

I vote no

Clinton Steel writes:

Vote No. Hell No!

Neal Gough writes:

I vote No

Jason Lewis writes:

I vote NO!!!!

Kimberly writes:

I VOTE NO

Leah lucy writes:

I vote No

Troy Hainley writes:

I VOTE NO

Mitch Kellum writes:

VOTE NO! This is another burden on the V.A commercial fishermen we do not deserve! Not to mention the fact that traps will scarcly last 8 months without maintenance anyway!

Joe masiak writes:

I vote no!!!!

July Traylor writes:

I vote no!

R.J. MacDonald writes:

NO!

Hugh newton writes:

I vote no

Emory Rice writes:

I vote no to this Bill

Bill Davenport writes:

NO NO

Brian Wilson writes:

I vote NO!!

jeremy gardner writes:

I VOTE NO!

Matthew Sines writes:

No!

Dan Knott writes:

Vote No...As a Waterman I volunteered to test these panels for VMRC this past crab season and the panels all failed. This product is not ready for use and certainly shouldn’t be mandated. Once the concept and product can be proven and successfully tested then allow the Crab Advisory Panel and VMRC to conduct their duties to see if and how they should be used. Please do not place this type of a time and financial burden on the watermen for an unproven product...

Molly Barbee writes:

No this will be too costly

Angela Mabe writes:

I vote no.

Mary Jenkins writes:

Please vote NO!

Damien Crissey writes:

I vote No!

Betty Blick writes:

I vote NO!!

Elizabeth Gatchell writes:

I vote no!

Jarrett cooper writes:

Why don't you bunch of mfers come out them on the pots

Jarrett cooper writes:

More bullshit from the vmrc

Matthew Smith writes:

I vote no!

Dexter Bush writes:

No

Stacey hornor writes:

I vote no

Ethan writes:

Please vote NO.

Greg Herring writes:

I vote no. You are making the crabpot a throw away item. Adding maintenance to an already maintenance heavy item will end in more pots being left on the bottom when they erode too quickly.

Shannon writes:

No! It's already too expensive to maintain the pots. Ghost pots are such a tiny impact on the environment. This solves nothing.

Samuel Ferguson II writes:

I vote NO! TOO costly for the crabbers,especially when crab prices fall to $10 a bushel. If we have to do this then the $190 commercial watermans card we have to buy should be done away with. I pay more to be a waterman than my sister pays to be a Nurse!

David Wallace writes:

I Vote no.

Larry Jenkins Jr writes:

Definitely NO!

Gail Bondurant writes:

I vote NO

VIOLA WEST writes:

VOTE NO !

John Bernard Moughon writes:

I vote no ! The working waterman doesn’t need any more legislation to make his job harder or more expensive ! Lawmakers should be helping to save this way of life not put them out of business

Chris Allen writes:

I VOTE NO!

Craig Freeman writes:

We do not need this bill for peeler and crab pots. The law already requires two “cull rings” in crab pots. These cull rings allow undersize crabs and fish escape from the pots. The only thing that a biodegradable panel does is take more money out of the pockets of Virginia’s hard-working waterman. Bio-panels It will not do anything to save crabs or help with conservation. I highly recommend this committee vote NO on such an uneeded, redundant bill.

Tommy Fletcher writes:

I vote no.

Glen Harding writes:

Please vote No on this bill! It will be far too costly to each one of us that work these pots. There are already requirements in place for us to have 2 cull rings in each pot now.

Jordan Kellum writes:

I vote no!

Peyton Mason writes:

FV Miss Jane and he crew vote no

Karen Bristow writes:

I vote no! Too costly!

Smitty Dize writes:

Vote No! This is another costly bill for the watermen. It's also another bill that will line the makers pockets! Those ghost pots do more good than harm! Think Oyster Reef!

Timothy Rivera writes:

I vote no

Daphne Palmore writes:

Vote NO!

Monica Schenemann writes:

Vote should be no.
I echo comment made by Dan Knott

Ray Charnock writes:

I vote NO!!!!

Kevin Harrison writes:

Vote NO on this bill

Louis Whittaker writes:

No.

Karen Dawkins writes:

No.

Dianne Childress writes:

NO!! PLEASE VOTE NO You people won't stop until there are NO watermen left to catch a crab. This is yet another hardship on these hard working people. Mr. Mason, PLEASE take time to talk to these people, go out on the boat with them and see first hand what this is REALLY all about. I suspect you don't have a clue how something like this will effect them.

Jimmy foster writes:

I vote NO!

Russ Elthorp writes:

I vote NO

Denise Tawous writes:

I vote NO

I vote no writes:

I vote no because I know many a Waterman and they'll be stuck in the dirt if this happens

Gray Saunders writes:

NO!

Lee Deihl writes:

No!

Jake f writes:

I vote no for this bill because there are two rings on a crab pot that let undersize crabs and fish get out of the pot so I don't think there is a reason for this

Robert Kellum writes:

I vote no. The crabbers have enough expense today and why add to it?no no and NO.

Jeff Newsome writes:

Please vote No for this bill! Thanks!

willie guill writes:

NO NO NO

Skylar Dixon writes:

I vote NO!

Dalton Mckenney writes:

I vote no

Mary Allen writes:

Please, listen to the watermen,and vote no.

Curt Burton writes:

Vote no

Patrick mcgrady writes:

I vote No

Jonathan Morris writes:

No! We have enough expense as it it!

Matthew A McGrady writes:

NO

Derek Richards writes:

I vote NO!

Kelly King writes:

I VOTE NO!

Michael writes:

I vote no

Bryan Greenleaf writes:

No.

Cody writes:

I vote no this is a horrible idea this is just another way to weave out waterman it's already hard enough to make a living, this is just another way for the state to steal from the waterman by making pointless laws that in the end will only come with a negative result.

Lynn Ambrose writes:

I vote no

Norman Ward writes:

We the watermen of VA. have suffered enough over the years with the pot limit and especially the bushel limit we can’t take anymore extra expenses to barely make a living.

John masiak writes:

No no no give me a break this is just an expensive solution for a non existent problem!

Aaron Bosse writes:

I vote no

Zane Oliver writes:

Vote NO

Berkley cash writes:

I vote NO

Graham Broadwell writes:

No already have 2 cull rings now

Sabrina Gordon writes:

I vote no on this bill!!!

Shayne Zasimowich writes:

I say no

Mark glascock writes:

More government, no practical application. Poorly thought through!

DJ Warwick writes:

I vote no

Tiffany Hennage writes:

I vote No.

Eric Woolard writes:

No

John Paul newsome writes:

I vote no

Collin Harding writes:

No

Luke Light writes:

I vote NO

Katie Johnson writes:

I vote NO

Savannah Seager writes:

I vote no.

Meredith Trible writes:

I vote no!

Zachary Doss writes:

NO!

Thomas Lewis writes:

No!

Lisa Rose writes:

Senator Mason shows a severe lack of responsibility to his colleagues and his voters. This Bill 552 was a “rush” job. Knowing it’s a failed design, the patent owner and this Senator should apologize to everyone for wasting time on this nonsense. My vote is ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Elizabeth marks writes:

I vote No!

Robert Holloway writes:

I vote no

Harold Deibler Jr writes:

I vote No.
This fisheries is already over regulated, costing far more to harvest the crabs than it should.

Ronnie Hale writes:

I vote NO

Cliff writes:

That’s gonna be a big ol no from me!

James Wilson writes:

Absolutely no on this one.

Nick writes:

No

STANLEY BONNIVILLE JR writes:

IT IS HARD ENOUGH ON US WATER MEN AS IT IS. WE ALREADY HAVE TO MANY UNNECESSARY RESTRICTION'S ON US NOW. OUR RIVER'S ARE LIKE OUR GARDEN'S IF WE DON'T WORK THEM THEY WILL DIE.OUR RIVER'S HAS NEVER BEEN IN THE SHAPE THEY ARE IN UNTIL ALL THESE RESTRICTION'S CAME ON US.LIKE US NOT BEING ABLE TO WORK THIS PART OF THE RIVER OR THAT PART.ANOTHER BURDEN ON US IS THE $190.00 DOLLAR CARD WE HAVE TO BUY TO BE ABLE TO BUY THE LICENSE WE NEED FOR EACH THING WE ARE GOING TO WORK,THEN HAVE TO PAY FOR EACH LICENSE. IF YOU ALL ARE GOING TO CHARGE US $190.00 FOR A CARD THEN THAT SHOULD PAY FOR ALL THE LICENSE WE NEED. OR WE SHOULD ONLY HAVE TO PAY FOR EACH LICENSE WE NEED.LIKE THE OYSTER LICENSE WE HAVE TO BUY A $300.00 DOLLAR CARD,THEN HAVE TO PAY FOR THE OYSTER LICENSE.THIS IS NOT FAIR WE NEED TO MAKE A LIVING ALSO. WE HAVE TO BUY CRAB POT'S, PEELER POT'S, ROPE, BOUY'S,IRON, PAINT FOR BOUY'S FOR THOSE POT'S.PAINT FOR BOAT,NETTING ,CORK'S,PAINT AND ROPE FOR THE GILL NET'S AND BOUY'S.THEN WE HAVE TO BUY CRAB POT BAIT. OIL SKIN SET'S, BOOT'S. GAS FOR THE BOAT.ASK YOUR SELF IF ALL THIS WAS PUT ON YOU WHAT WOULD YOU THINK.

Michael Grwene writes:

No to this bill

Sarah Cole writes:

NO

Luke Masiak writes:

No. The ghost pot data is incorrect. Now that all ghost pots have been removed, the impact of ghost pots should be revisited. Not fair to use data from years of ghost pots piling up.

Eddie coates writes:

I vote no

Jason Mozingo writes:

I vote no.

Robert Brown writes:

Please vote NO.

Teresa Balderson writes:

I vote No!! Pull this bill!!

Scott Griffith writes:

please vote no to another attempt to increase the expense of the working waterman trying to make a living. purchasing and maintaining gear that only has a limited lifespan is already too high of an expense without adding unproven equipment at an additional mandated expense!

Jodi Valcourt writes:

I vote NO!

Laurie Thomas writes:

Vote No! This is another costly bill for the watermen. It's also another bill that will line the makers pockets! Those ghost pots do more good than harm.

John DeMaria writes:

I vote no not practical holds up no where near the time as a vinyl pot.

Kate Bozeman writes:

I vote no

Tom McCrea writes:

I VOTE NO !

Michael Brann writes:

I vote no.
I cost of a finished crab/peeler pot is bad enough now. I can hear them now "they're still making money or they wouldn't be doing it". Some of this family of commercial waterman it's all they know.

Scott McGehee writes:

I vote No

Gwen D’Amico writes:

I vote NO

Harriet williams writes:

Absolutely no!

Erin Haynie writes:

I vote no.

Kathy Young writes:

I vote NO!!

Susan Powell writes:

I vote NO !

Lynnee A Squires writes:

I vote NO on this. I am all for saving the environment, but this is ridiculous!

Dalton Jewell writes:

I VOTE NO !!!

Jacob Wright writes:

As a waterman myself, I vote yes. I have seen firsthand that the harmful impacts of ghost pots far outweigh the few cents increase in price.

Ryan Greene writes:

I vote no!

Dawn Taylor writes:

I vote NO!

Mandy Kellum writes:

No, no, and a hell no.

sharon chatham writes:

WE VOTE NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ed Gaskins writes:

I vote no! If these people think that a pot will last 8 months with no upkeep they are crazy. More expense for watermen for no reason. These people have plenty books smarts but no common sense.

David Freeman writes:

I vote no!

Eric Jenkins writes:

Nope

Livvy preisser writes:

I vote NO!

Phil Shahan writes:

This bill is asinine, Vote NO

Cheryl Goodwyn writes:

I say NO !!!

Melissa Gross writes:

Vote NO

Vanessa Callis writes:

I vote NO

Amy Beauchamp writes:

They're using old data. I vote NO!

Hillary Blackwell writes:

For many reasons, I vote NO!

S. Rutkowski writes:

NO, NO, NO!!!!

Samuel Ferguson II writes:

This is my second comment. Every crab pot we set costs about $40 fully rigged.The majority of the pots we lose are caused by recreational boaters who are not paying attention or just don't care what they are doing.These ghost pots are caused by rec. BOATERS not us.Is it fair to make us foot the bill for a problem that they create? The State does everything in its power to promote rec. Boating and fishing which increases boat traffic and increases the chance of us losing more pots.It seems to me that the victim(the crabber)is being asked to pay up but the guilty party gets to go"free". NOT FAIR PEOPLE!

Lee Wirth writes:

No! These will not work and will be a significant and unnecessary financial burden on already hard pressed commercial fishermen.

Ray Whaley writes:

I vote NO!!

Jennifer Dudley-Greene writes:

I vote NO! I would really love to know the selection process for the board? I don't believe that a single one of you have the best interests of these hard working men and women at heart. Though, I believe that there does need to be regulations in place I cant figure out how you come up with them. You get to go to work each day and sit in your heated or air conditioned offices and figure out how you can make it tougher on the watermen and their families today. If you don't have the best interests for the hard working individuals then please seek another profession!! It's getting ridiculous!!!

Dan Dise writes:

I vote no

Terry Stevens writes:

I vote NO

Curtis Jenkins writes:

Lost pots are not death traps that keep catching crabs and fish. Pots that are not worked on a daily basis being pulled through the water become fouled up in a matter of a few weeks. When a pot becomes fouled up the funnel openings become very obvious and crabs and fish will go in and out of the pots at will. Even when dirty pots are baited they catch very few crabs. The crabs go in the pot, eat on the bait and then go back out because they can clearly see the funnel opening. Trying to keep pots clean is one of the biggest challenges crabbers have. Lost pots are more beneficial as structure and sanctuaries than they are harmful. It would be a huge injustice to pass a bill that would cost watermen much time and money yet not have any benefit to sea life as it is intended to.

Cory savage writes:

I vote no! As a commercial fisherman , we have a hard enough time making a sustainable living as it is. One more law would not benefit us , it would just cost us more expense , in an all ready dead expense occupation!

Ida Hall writes:

I strongly urge the Va. Senate to vote "NO" to SB 552. It is a hastily drawn up bill that benefits no one at this time except the panel manufacturer! The current crab panel is still in the test phase on crab pots only. None of these panels has even been tested on peeler pots! Va. doesn't even have cull rings in peeler pots at this time and to use the 2 and 3/8" cull ring in a peeler pot would let every peeler crab out! The crab panels are too large for the smaller peeler pots anyway. I also received the crab panels to test in about 50 of my crab pots this year. Because I started crabbing later, than usual, I never got them in my pots to test, but VMRC's Sarah Blackman, in charge of getting watermen to test these panels, had already planned on testing these panels again in 2018 and I planned to participate in this test. These panels need much more testing by knowledgeable watermen before they should be even considered and watermen should not have to be burdened with another expense. (The cull rings that are currently required in crab pots are basically a one-time expense. Biodegradable panels that cost $2/panel would be an annual expense!).

Robert Croxton,Jr. writes:

I vote No!!!

RJ MURRAY writes:

these escape panels are currently available from only one manufacturer at this time at a cost of $1.50 each with each pot requiring 2 panels = $3 per pot plus labor to install them these panels are required to degrade after 8 months, meaning that they would need replacement at least once during the season, so another $3 plus labor & lost time in water for the pot. to install the panel in the pot would require cutting 2- 4" x 6" holes in the pot. which would severely weaken the structural integrity of the pot. estimated total cost materials & labor for a 255 pot license would be $1530 for materials & $2550 for labor.( estimated at 1 hr labor) this would come to $4080 EVERY YEAR. The crabbers would have to foot the bill for this. if this bill is to pass.

the bill has been introduced & already passed the senate committee & voted & passed on the senate floor. many crabbers are not even aware of this bill or the ramifications & cost to them. should this bill become law.

the patent holders & the manufacturer were the the supporters of the bill at the committee because very few crabbers had heard anything about this. according to the reports & info submitted and published by the patent holders & Manufacturer. none of the alternate methods of ghost pot reduction were even considered!! this is just the patent holders & the manufacturers profiteering at the expense of the crabbers.