Mr. Wise reported that representatives of SUNY Stony Brook, Cornell University Veterinary College, Sea Grant, the DEC, and private aquaculture industry met to develop a proposal for an aquatic animal disease laboratory. Their proposal is currently being reviewed by the participating institutions whose approval to move forward is expected shortly. Councilor Schwab asked whether the proposed aquatic animal disease laboratory would also look at chemical contamination. Mr. Wise answered that the environment was always involved in disease outbreaks for both wild and captive marine animals, so the focus could not be exclusively on disease organisms but also the extent to which environmental conditions did or did not contribute to disease outbreaks. Mr. Colvin added that it was of major interest to the DEC to establish diagnostic capability for all diseases, including toxin-induced disease. Environmental stress predisposed organisms to disease. Mr. Wise will keep the Council informed as this proposal moves forward.