N.Y. Environmental Conservation Law § 13-0360: Special management areas

§ 13-0360. Special management areas.

1. For purposes of this section:

(a) "artificial reef" shall mean a hard structure, deliberately placed

in a marine or coastal water body for the purpose of imitating

environmental conditions found on natural underwater rock outcroppings,

shellfish reefs or coral reefs; and

(b) "wreck" shall mean an abandoned shipwreck which occurred through

an accidental circumstance or deliberate scuttling or sinking that was

not part of artificial reef construction activities.

2. For the purposes of protecting reef ecosystems and managing reef

fisheries, the department is hereby authorized to adopt regulations

which designate as a special management area any area of the marine and

coastal district which contains artificial reefs or wrecks simulating

artificial reefs together with the surrounding areas where the biota are

dependent upon the physical characteristics of the reef.

3. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department

may, until December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-six, adopt

regulations restricting the taking of fish, shellfish and crustacea in

any special management area designated pursuant to subdivision two of

this section. Such regulations may restrict the manner of taking of

fish, shellfish and crustacea in such areas and the landing of fish,

shellfish and crustacea which have been taken therefrom. Such

regulations shall be consistent with all relevant federal and interstate

fisheries management plans and with the marine fisheries conservation

and management policy set forth in section 13-0105 of this article.