§ 13-0360 — Special management areas

§ 13-0360. Special management areas.\n 1. For purposes of this section:\n (a) "artificial reef" shall mean a hard structure, deliberately placed\nin a marine or coastal water body for the purpose of imitating\nenvironmental conditions found on natural underwater rock outcroppings,\nshellfish reefs or coral reefs; and\n (b) "wreck" shall mean an abandoned shipwreck which occurred through\nan accidental circumstance or deliberate scuttling or sinking that was\nnot part of artificial reef construction activities.\n 2. For the purposes of protecting reef ecosystems and managing reef\nfisheries, the department is hereby authorized to adopt regulations\nwhich designate as a special management area any area of the marine and\ncoastal district which contains artificial reefs or wrecks simulating\nartificial reefs together with the surrounding areas where the biota are\ndependent upon the physical characteristics of the reef.\n 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department\nmay, until December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-six, adopt\nregulations restricting the taking of fish, shellfish and crustacea in\nany special management area designated pursuant to subdivision two of\nthis section. Such regulations may restrict the manner of taking of\nfish, shellfish and crustacea in such areas and the landing of fish,\nshellfish and crustacea which have been taken therefrom. Such\nregulations shall be consistent with all relevant federal and interstate\nfisheries management plans and with the marine fisheries conservation\nand management policy set forth in section 13-0105 of this article.\n