Chairman Wise distributed the message which accompanied Governor Pataki’s veto of the bill that would have established a Seafood Policy Advisory Council. He noted that this bill had been introduced in each of the past several legislative sessions; this was the second year in a row it had gone to the Governor for signature, only to be vetoed. As the Marine Resources Advisory Council does not support creation of another state advisory body with functions similar to its own, Mr. Wise suggested that the Council approach the New York Seafood Council, the group promoting this legislation, and the legislators who sponsored the bill to work out a mutually-agreeable alternative bill or to amend the language creating the Marine Resources Advisory Council so that it was made explicit that Council seats could be occupied by representatives of the state’s seafood wholesaling and retailing businesses. The New York Seafood Council has interpreted the language of the legislation creating the Council to limit Council membership to representatives of the harvesting sector of the state’s seafood industry, excluding wholesalers and retailers. The number of seats on the Council would not necessarily have to be increased. There was a general concern expressed that seats on the Council should not be dedicated to specific segments of the commercial and recreational fishing industries (i.e., commercial seat dedicated to seafood retailers; recreational seat dedicated to shore-based anglers, etc.) The Council authorized Chairman Wise to initiate discussions on this matter with the New York Seafood Council and legislative sponsors of the Seafood Policy Advisory Council bill.