H.2

Introduced by Representative Kinsey of Craftsbury (By Request)

Referred to Committee on

Date:

Subject: Fish and wildlife; fish; mercury levels in fish; posting of waters

Statement of purpose: This bill proposes to direct the department of fish and wildlife to post the mercury content of the fish in all bodies of water which may be fished.

AN ACT RELATING TO POSTING OF MERCURY CONTENT OF FISH IN STATE WATERS

It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont:

Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 4614 is added to read:

§ 4614. MERCURY CONTENT OF FISH; POSTING OF WATERS

The commissioner shall, by rule, identify all state waters from which an angler could legally take a fish, determine the average mercury content of the fish in each identified body of water at least once a year, and post a sign near each identified body of water with the following information:

(1) The average mercury content of the fish in the water, and

(2) Whether it would be unsafe to eat some amount of the fish at any time of year.