A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the north carolina policy collaboratory at the university of north carolina at chapel hill to study the coastal and marine fisheries regulated by the state.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  In advance of the twenty‑fifth anniversary of North Carolina's Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 and the fiftieth anniversary of North Carolina's Coastal Area Management Act, the North Carolina Policy Collaboratory (Collaboratory) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill shall conduct a study on the overall status of the coastal and marine fisheries regulated by the State. The study shall focus on the following regulated species, including the health and extent of the habitats required by these species:
(1)	Bay Scallop.
(2)	Blue Crab.
(3)	Eastern Oyster.
(4)	Estuarine Striped Bass.
(5)	Hard Clam.
(6)	Kingfishes.
(7)	Red Drum.
(8)	River Herring.
(9)	Sheepshead.
(10)	Shrimp.
(11)	Southern Flounder.
(12)	Spotted Seatrout.
(13)	Striped Mullet.
The Collaboratory shall analyze trends through time spanning the last few decades or longer to assess the effectiveness of State policies governing the viability of both these species and their habitats, including any policy recommendations to better manage the overall health and viability of the State's fisheries and fisheries' habitats. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, other agencies of the State, and units of local government shall provide any assistance requested by the Collaboratory to acquire and compile data and complete the study required by this section. The Collaboratory shall provide the results of this study to the Environmental Review Commission no later than December 31, 2022.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.