(1) COMPOSITION.—There is created within the department the Aquaculture Review Council to consist of eight members appointed by the commissioner, including an alligator farmer, a food fish farmer, a shellfish farmer, a tropical fish farmer, an aquatic plant farmer, a representative of the commercial fishing industry, and a representative of the aquaculture industry at large. Members shall be appointed for 4-year terms. Each member shall be selected from no fewer than two or more than three nominees submitted by recognized statewide organizations representing each industry segment or the aquaculture industry at large. In the absence of nominees, the commissioner shall appoint persons who otherwise meet the qualifications for appointment to the council. Members shall serve until their successors are duly qualified and appointed. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired portion of the term.
(2) MEETINGS; PROCEDURES; RECORDS.—(a) The members of the council shall meet at least quarterly; shall elect a chair, a vice chair, and a secretary; and shall use accepted rules of procedure. The terms of such officers shall be for 1 year.
(b) The council shall meet at the call of its chair, at the request of a majority of its membership, at the request of the department, or at such times as may be prescribed by its rules of procedure.
(c) A majority of the members of the council constitutes a quorum for all purposes, and an act by a majority of such quorum at any meeting constitutes an official act of the council.
(d) The council secretary shall keep a complete record of the proceedings of each meeting, which record shall include the names of the members present and the actions taken. Such records shall be kept on file with the department, and these records and other documents about matters within the jurisdiction of the council shall be subject to inspection by the members of the council.
(3) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The primary responsibilities of the Aquaculture Review Council are to:(a) Formulate and recommend to the commissioner rules and policies governing the business of aquaculture by studying and evaluating aquacultural issues.
(b) Provide aquaculture industry recommendations for research and development to be included in the annual revision of the state aquaculture plan.
(c) Submit to the commissioner on an annual basis:1. Upon the appropriation of funds by the Legislature, a prioritized list of research projects to be funded by the department. Each year, the council shall review the aquaculture legislative budget requests submitted to the department and rank them according to the state aquaculture plan.
2. Recommendations to be forwarded to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate on legislation needed to help the aquaculture industry.
3. Recommendations on aquaculture projects, activities, research, and regulation and other needs to further the development of the aquaculture industry.
(d) On a quarterly basis, review and discuss problems that serve as barriers to the growth and development of aquaculture.
(e) Assist the department in carrying out duties identified in s. 597.003 by studying aquaculture issues and making recommendations for regulating and permitting aquaculture and in the development, revision, and implementation of the state aquaculture plan. (f) Provide input to the department to perform studies, identify needs, research issues, write reports, record actions and meetings of the council and, in general, conduct the business of the council.
(g) Receive input from state agencies and public and private institutions on aquaculture research, service, development, and regulatory needs.
(h) For any problem that cannot be solved through simple cooperation or negotiation, provide an issue analysis to the chairs of the legislative agriculture committees. The analysis shall include, but not be limited to, specific facts and industry hardships, regulatory provisions, questions relative to the issue, and suggestions for solving the problem.
(i) Provide the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the chairs of legislative committees having primary jurisdiction over either the subject of aquaculture or the budget of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, by August 1 of each year, a list of prioritized research needs critical to development of the aquaculture industry.
