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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6222
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING THE TAKING OF EASTERN OYSTERS AND
INVASIVE AQUATIC SPECIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Agriculture 1
shall conduct a study on the appropriate minimum length for eastern 2
oysters to be taken in the state. In undertaking such study, the 3
commissioner shall consult with scientific experts concerning such 4
appropriate minimum length. The commissioner's recommendation 5
concerning such minimum length shall be based on the conclusions of 6
such scientific consultations as to the minimum length that enables the 7
optimal health condition of the oysters taken and the state's oyster beds. 8
Not later than February 1, 2026, in accordance with section 11-4a of the 9
general statutes, the commissioner shall submit a report to the joint 10
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 11
matters relating to the environment that shall contain such 12
recommendation and a detailed analysis of the basis for such 13
recommendation. 14
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2025) (a) The Commissioner of 15
Energy and Environmental Protection, in consultation with the 16
Department of Agriculture, shall establish a commercial invasive 17
aquatic species harvest license to regulate the collection, sale and 18
distribution of invasive marine species, including, but not limited to, 19 Substitute Bill No. 6222
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green crabs and Asian shore crabs. Any such licensee shall be permitted 20
to: (1) Harvest and sell such invasive species for use as bait or for human 21
consumption, and (2) sell such invasive species directly to restaurants 22
and seafood markets for food purposes. 23
(b) The Commissioners of Energy and Environmental Protection and 24
Agriculture shall develop clear guidance and regulatory provisions to 25
ensure that (1) restaurants and individuals with a dealer's license can 26
legally procure, process and sell green crabs and other designated 27
invasive species for human consumption, and (2) fishermen operating 28
under a bait dealer license may sell invasive species both as bait and for 29
food while ensuring compliance with all applicable public health and 30
seafood safety regulations. 31
(c) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may 32
adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the 33
general statutes, to implement the provisions of this section. Such 34
regulations may include an expansion of the list of invasive aquatic 35
species covered under such license, as may be necessary to support 36
ecosystem management efforts. 37
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2025 New section
ENV Joint Favorable Subst.