New Jersey § 32:21-1

§ 32:21-1.

The Governor of this State is hereby authorized and directed to execute a compact

on behalf of the State of New Jersey with any one or more of the States of Maine,

New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware,

Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and with such

other States as may enter into the compact, legally joining therein in the form substantially

as follows: The contracting States solemnly agree: The purpose of this compact is to promote the better utilization of the fisheries,

marine, shell and anadromous, of the Atlantic seaboard by the development of a joint

program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries, and by the prevention

of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause. It is not the purpose of this compact to authorize the States joining herein to

limit the production of fish or fish products for the purpose of establishing or fixing

the price thereof, or creating and perpetuating monopoly. This agreement shall become operative immediately as to those States executing it

whenever any two or more of the States of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode

Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina,

South Carolina, Georgia and Florida have executed it in the form that is in accordance

with the laws of the executing State and the Congress has given its consent. Any State contiguous with any of the aforementioned States and riparian upon waters

frequented by anadromous fish, flowing into waters under the jurisdiction of any of

the aforementioned States, may become a party hereto as hereinafter provided. Each State joining herein shall appoint three representatives to a commission hereby

constituted and designated as the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. One shall be the executive officer of the administrative agency of such State charged

with the conservation of the fisheries resources to which this compact pertains or,

if there be more than one officer or agency, the official of that State named by the

Governor thereof. The second shall be a member of the Legislature of such State designated by the

commission or Committee on Interstate Co-operation of such State, or if there be none,

or if said Commission on Interstate Co-operation cannot constitutionally designate

the said member, such legislator shall be designated by the Governor thereof; provided,

that if it is constitutionally impossible to appoint a legislator as a commissioner

from such State, the second member shall be appointed by the Governor of said State

in his discretion. The third shall be a citizen who shall have a knowledge of and interest in the marine

fisheries problem to be appointed by the Governor. This commission shall be a body corporate with the powers and duties set forth herein. The duty of the said commission shall be to make inquiry and ascertain from time to

time such methods, practices, circumstances and conditions as may be disclosed for

bringing about the conservation and the prevention of the depletion and physical waste

of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the Atlantic seaboard. The commission shall have power to recommend the co-ordination of the exercise of

the police powers of the several States within their respective jurisdictions to promote

the preservation of those fisheries and their protection against overfishing, waste,

depletion or any abuse whatsoever and to assure a continuing yield from the fisheries

resources of the aforementioned States. To that end the commission shall draft and, after consultation with the advisory committee

hereinafter authorized, recommend to the governors and legislatures of the various

signatory States legislation dealing with the conservation of the marine, shell and

anadromous fisheries of the Atlantic seaboard. The commission shall, more than one month prior to any regular meeting of the Legislature

in any signatory State, present to the Governor of the State its recommendations relating

to enactments to be made by the Legislature of that State in furthering the intents

and purposes of this compact. The commission shall consult with and advise the pertinent administrative agencies

in the States party hereto with regard to problems connected with the fisheries and

recommend the adoption of such regulations as it deems advisable. The commission shall have power to recommend to the States party hereto the stocking

of the waters of such States with fish and fish eggs or joint stocking by some or

all of the States party hereto and when two or more of the States shall jointly stock

waters the commission shall act as the co-ordinating agency for such stocking. The commission shall elect from its number a chairman and a vice chairman and shall

appoint and at its pleasure remove or discharge such officers and employees as may

be required to carry the provisions of this compact into effect and shall fix and

determine their duties, qualifications and compensation. Said commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business. It may establish and maintain one or more offices for the transaction of its business

and may meet at any time or place but must meet at least once a year. No action shall be taken by the commission in regard to its general affairs except

by the affirmative vote of a majority of the whole number of compacting States present

at any meeting. No recommendation shall be made by the commission in regard to any species of fish

except by the affirmative vote of a majority of the compacting States which have an

interest in such species. The commission shall define what shall be an interest. The Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior of the Government

of the United States shall act as the primary research agency of the Atlantic States

Marine Fisheries Commission co-operating with the research agencies in each State

for that purpose. Representatives of the said Fish and Wildlife Service shall attend the meetings

of the commission. An advisory committee to be representative of the commercial fishermen and the salt

water anglers and such other interests of each State as the commission deems advisable

shall be established by the commission as soon as practicable for the purpose of advising

the commission upon such recommendations at 1 it may desire to make. When any State other than those named specifically in Article II of this compact shall

become a party thereto for the purpose of conserving its anadromous fish in accordance

with the provisions of Article II the participation of such State in the action of

the commission shall be limited to such species of anadromous fish. Nothing in this compact shall be construed to limit the powers of any signatory State

or to repeal or prevent the enactment of any legislation or the enforcement of any

requirement by any signatory State imposing additional conditions and restrictions

to conserve its fisheries. Continued absence of representation or of any representative on the commission from

any State party hereto shall be brought to the attention of the Governor thereof. The States party hereto agree to make annual appropriations to the support of the

commission in proportion to the primary market value of the products of their fisheries,

exclusive of cod and haddock, as recorded in the most recent published reports of

the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior, provided

no State shall contribute less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) per annum and the

annual contribution of each State above the minimum shall be figured to the nearest

one hundred dollars ($100.00). The compacting States agree to appropriate initially the annual amounts scheduled

below, which amounts are calculated in the manner set forth herein, on the basis of

the catch record of 1938. Subsequent budgets shall be recommended by a majority of the commission and the

cost thereof allocated equitably among the States in accordance with their respective

interests and submitted to the compacting States. SCHEDULE OF INITIAL ANNUAL STATE CONTRIBUTIONS This compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each compacting State

until renounced by it. Renunciation of this compact must be preceded by sending six months' notice in writing

of intention to withdraw from the compact to the other States party hereto. 1

Probably should read “as”.