13-0501 - Marine and coastal district of New York conservation, education, and research grants program.

§  13-0501.  Marine  and  coastal  district  of  New York conservation, education, and research grants program. 1. There is hereby  created  within  the  department  the  marine  and  coastal  district  of  New  York  conservation,  education, and research  grants program. The program shall  make  grants  available  to  eligible  recipients  for  conservation, research, and education projects relating  to such marine and coastal district. For purposes  of  this  title,  the  term "eligible  recipients"  shall  mean  not-for-profit  corporations  located within New York state whose purpose is to promote sport fishing,  increase  participation  in  recreational angling, increase public  awareness  and  appreciation  of  aquatic  natural  resources, encourage  conservation of fisheries resources, or promote research relating to the  marine and coastal district of New York. 2. The grants program may  include  funding  for  programs  containing  elements such as, but not limited to, the following: (a) educational programs which raise public awareness and appreciation  of  the  need for protecting, conserving, and restoring the state of New  York's aquatic natural resources. (b) research relating to the marine and coastal district of New York. (c) production of informational  materials  in  print,  audio,  video,  electronic, or other media. (d) production and distribution of  exhibits,  public  service  announcements, and advertisements. (e)  programs  which  promote  angling  and  sport fishing through  information and/or training. 3.  The  commissioner may accept grants from public or private sources  for the program. Any such monies shall be deposited in  the  marine  and  coastal  district of New York conservation, education, and research fund  established pursuant to section ninety-five-c of the state finance  law.  The commissioner, in  administering  this  section,  shall  seek  to  coordinate the program with other public and private  efforts,  and  may  undertake  joint  or  cooperative  programs with other public or private  entities. 4. The commissioner shall make rules  and  regulations  necessary  and  appropriate for the implementation of this section.