1. (A) The department has the authority to close any commercial or recreational fishing season, area, or activity in the salt waters of this State when an emergency exists. For the purposes of this section an emergency is an unusual, sudden, and unexpected natural or man-induced situation or occurrence which threatens the future or present well-being of a fishery resource or its habitat in a part of or in all of the salt waters of this State.
2. (B) The department must use all reasonable means to give notice to the public or an emergency closure issued pursuant to subsection (A) as soon as practicable. An emergency closure notice must specify the cause of the emergency and the fishing season, area, or activity closed, and, if known, the duration of the closure.
3. (C) When taking emergency action under this section, the department must notify the appropriate standing committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives of its actions as soon as practicable. Supporting resource assessments, scientific documentation, and notice of action taken must be provided to the committees.
4. (D) During the first three days of an emergency closure instituted under this section, the department must issue only warnings for first offense, noncommercial violations of the closure.
5. (E) The department must monitor the situation or occurrence under which the emergency arose and must reopen the closed season, area, or activity as soon as, but only when, the threat to the resource or its habitat no longer exists.
6. (F) It is unlawful to take or attempt to take saltwater fish in violation of an emergency closure. A person violating an emergency closure is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

HISTORY: 2002 Act No. 342, Section 3.