Legislation passes full House; Similar legislation already passed unanimously in the Senate
ANNAPOLIS (March 15, 2017) - Today, the Maryland House of Delegates passed a version of the 2017 Prohibition on Cownose Ray Fishing Contests (HB 211 http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0211&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS ) with a vote of 119 to 21. The House version of the bill declares a moratorium on such contests through July 1, 2019 and requires the Department of Natural Resources to prepare a fisheries management plan by December 31, 2018. The bill is sponsored by Delegate Shane Robinson (D-District 39).
The Senate version of the bill (SB 268 http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=SB0268&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS), sponsored by Senator Ron Young (D-District 3), passed unanimously on February 13. The Senate version includes a moratorium on contests through July 1, 2018 and requires the fisheries study by December 31, 2017.
During contests, which are held every summer in Maryland, participants slaughter rays en masse to see who can kill the heaviest ray. Pregnant female rays are often the prime target, because of their heavier weight. After the contests, participants have been caught on film dumping rays' bodies back into the water or tossing them into dumpsters.
"This legislation is an important step toward protecting cownose rays from senseless killing," says Delegate Robinson. "Maryland should not be known for vicious killing contests, especially of a species that is extremely vulnerable to overfishing."
Since the House and Senate bills amendments differ slightly, the two chambers will be working to resolve any differences, but advocates are optimistic that an agreement will be reached.
"We are confident that both chambers will come to an agreement on this critical bipartisan legislation and hope the chambers adopt the House version of the bill, which allows more time for the study," says Mary Finelli, Chair of the Save the Rays Coalition. "The Coalition fully supports the moratorium on these cruel and wasteful contests while more research is conducted."
View a fact sheet ( http://savetheraysmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cownose-ray-coalition-factsheet.pdf ) and FAQ ( http://savetheraysmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cownose-ray-coalition-faq-final.pdf ) for more information.
#savetherays
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Save the Cownose Rays Coalition is a grassroots coalition of non-profit organizations working to ban inhumane contests that target the cownose rays of the Chesapeake Bay.
ANNAPOLIS (March 15, 2017) - Today, the Maryland House of Delegates passed a version of the 2017 Prohibition on Cownose Ray Fishing Contests (HB 211 http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=billpage&stab=01&id=hb0211&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS ) with a vote of 119 to 21. The House version of the bill declares a moratorium on such contests through July 1, 2019 and requires the Department of Natural Resources to prepare a fisheries management plan by December 31, 2018. The bill is sponsored by Delegate Shane Robinson (D-District 39).
The Senate version of the bill (SB 268 http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=SB0268&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2017RS), sponsored by Senator Ron Young (D-District 3), passed unanimously on February 13. The Senate version includes a moratorium on contests through July 1, 2018 and requires the fisheries study by December 31, 2017.
During contests, which are held every summer in Maryland, participants slaughter rays en masse to see who can kill the heaviest ray. Pregnant female rays are often the prime target, because of their heavier weight. After the contests, participants have been caught on film dumping rays' bodies back into the water or tossing them into dumpsters.
"This legislation is an important step toward protecting cownose rays from senseless killing," says Delegate Robinson. "Maryland should not be known for vicious killing contests, especially of a species that is extremely vulnerable to overfishing."
Since the House and Senate bills amendments differ slightly, the two chambers will be working to resolve any differences, but advocates are optimistic that an agreement will be reached.
"We are confident that both chambers will come to an agreement on this critical bipartisan legislation and hope the chambers adopt the House version of the bill, which allows more time for the study," says Mary Finelli, Chair of the Save the Rays Coalition. "The Coalition fully supports the moratorium on these cruel and wasteful contests while more research is conducted."
View a fact sheet ( http://savetheraysmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cownose-ray-coalition-factsheet.pdf ) and FAQ ( http://savetheraysmd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/cownose-ray-coalition-faq-final.pdf ) for more information.
#savetherays
###
Save the Cownose Rays Coalition is a grassroots coalition of non-profit organizations working to ban inhumane contests that target the cownose rays of the Chesapeake Bay.