(a) The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall establish an economic assistance program for resident commercial lobster fishermen.

(b) Not later than April 1, 2007, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to implement the economic assistance program established in subsection (a) of this section for any resident commercial lobster fisherman who held a Connecticut license to take lobsters in 2006 and who held a lobster trap allocation issued by the commissioner, or who has received a license transfer with a trap allocation, and who, not later than January 24, 2006, reported the landing of lobsters between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2005, as determined by the commissioner, based on reports submitted pursuant to section 26-157b. The regulations shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for direct payment to such lobsterman based on the contribution such lobsterman's lobster catch made to the total qualifying catch of all qualifying lobster fishermen from Long Island Sound with any gear between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2005, provided, in cases in which more than one fisherman has reported on the same catch report form, catches are attributed and payments made to the lead license holder indicated on the form.

(P.A. 06-187, S. 50; P.A. 11-80, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 06-187 effective May 26, 2006; pursuant to P.A. 11-80, “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011.