Senator Miner Votes to Clean up Long Island Sound

Hartford—State Senator Craig Miner applauded the senate passage of bill (S.B. 426) early in the morning on Friday May 4. The bill would authorize the Connecticut DEEP to clean up abandoned fishing tackle such as lobster pots left in Long Island Sound.

“This bill is about stewardship and conservation,” said Senator Miner. “Lobster pots and similar traps continue catching even if they are not collected. In this way, they can pose a serious threat to a fragile renewable resource. This bill gives the state’s environmental officials the legal tools they need to preserve Long Island Sound for future generations by removing large nets, ropes, and traps.”

The bill contains protections for fishermen who may have misplaced their equipment. DEEP is required to try and locate the equipment’s owner with 30 days of seizing it. DEEP would be required to keep all collected tackle and equipment for one year, after which time it would become state property that may be auctioned or discarded. As co-Chair of the Environment Committee, Miner has shaped and shepherded this bill through the legislative process. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.