Legislature paves way for magnet school to sell tilapia harvest

Hartford - The state Senate gave final legislative approval late Wednesday night to a two-part bill that tightens regulations for harvesting Niantic River scallops and allows students at the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut to sell their aquarium-raised fish.

The legislation passed with only 10 minutes to go before the General Assembly's midnight session deadline. It now awaits Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's signature.

Students at the Groton magnet school have raised 600 tilapia and rainbow trout that they plan to sell to Grossman's Seafood in Groton and Mystic for restaurant distribution and market sales. The bill would allow them to do that by streamlining the licensing process for aquaculture systems that cultivate seafood for eating.

The bill also prohibits the taking of juvenile scallops that can pass through a 2½-inch ring. The current standard is a 2-inch ring.

j.reindl@theday.com