The Legislature finds and declares that aquaculture has the potential for reducing the United States trade deficit in fisheries products, for augmenting food supplies, for expanding employment, for promoting economic activity, for improving public health, for augmenting existing commercial and recreational fisheries and for producing other renewable resources, thereby assisting West Virginia and the United […]
This article shall be known as the "Aquaculture Development Act".
As used in this article: (1) "Aquaculture" means the propagation, rearing, and/or use of aquatic species in controlled or selected environments for private and or commercial purposes related to food production, recreation, research, importation, exportation, marketing, transportation and science.
(a) Aquaculture is a form of agriculture and thus the Department of Agriculture is designated as the lead state agency in matters pertaining to aquaculture. (b) The department shall have the following powers and duties: (1) To provide aquaculturalists with information and assistance in obtaining permits related to aquacultural activities;
(a) There is created within the Department of Agriculture the Aquaculture Advisory Board, to consist of the following representatives: (1) The Commissioner of Agriculture or the commissioner's designee who shall serve as chairman of the board;
