Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session

Massachusetts House Bill H127 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1 of 1
2	2	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 500 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
3	3	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 127
4	4	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
5	5	_________________
6	6	PRESENTED BY:
7	7	Christopher Hendricks
8	8	_________________
9	9	To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
10	10	Court assembled:
11	11	The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
12	12	An Act prohibiting the aquaculture of any species of octopus for the purpose of human
13	13	consumption.
14	14	_______________
15	15	PETITION OF:
16	16	NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Christopher Hendricks11th Bristol1/9/2025 1 of 2
17	17	HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 500 FILED ON: 1/9/2025
18	18	HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 127
19	19	By Representative Hendricks of New Bedford, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 127)
20	20	of Christopher Hendricks for legislation to establish penalties for the aquaculture of any species
21	21	of octopus for the purpose of human consumption. Agriculture.
22	22	The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
23	23	_______________
24	24	In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
25	25	(2025-2026)
26	26	_______________
27	27	An Act prohibiting the aquaculture of any species of octopus for the purpose of human
28	28	consumption.
29	29	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
30	30	of the same, as follows:
31	31	1 Chapter 130 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby
32	32	2amended by adding the following section:-
33	33	3 Section 107. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall, unless the
34	34	4context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:-
35	35	5 “Aquaculture”, waters used primarily and directly in the commercial cultivation of
36	36	6aquatic organisms including finfish, mollusk or crustacean in a controlled environment.
37	37	7 “Octopus”, a cephalopod mollusk with a soft body and 8 limbs belonging to the order
38	38	8Octopoda and does not include wild-caught octopuses or octopuses propagated, cultivated,
39	39	9maintained, reared or harvested only for research purposes unrelated to commercial production.
40	40	10 (b) No person shall engage in the aquaculture of any species of octopus for the purpose of
41	41	11human consumption. 2 of 2
42	42	12 (c) No business entity shall sell, possess or transport any species of octopus that is the
43	43	13result or product of aquaculture.
44	44	14 (d) Whoever violates any provision of this section or any rule or regulation adopted
45	45	15pursuant thereto, shall be subject, upon an order of a court, to a civil penalty not to exceed
46	46	16$1,000 per day of the violation, and each day during which the violation continues shall
47	47	17constitute an additional, separate and distinct offense. Any civil penalty imposed pursuant to this
48	48	18section may be collected with costs in a summary proceeding pursuant to chapter 30A or may be
49	49	19collected in a civil action commenced by the commissioner. In addition to any penalties, costs or
50	50	20interest charges, the superior court may assess against the violator the amount of economic
51	51	21benefit accruing to the violator from the violation.
52	52	22 (e) The division may adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary to implement the
53	53	23provisions of this section.