(a) The department shall prepare fishery management plans and plan amendments, including any proposed regulations necessary to implement plans or plan amendments, to be submitted to the commission for adoption or rejection. Prior to submitting a plan or plan amendment, including any proposed regulations necessary for implementation, to the commission, the department shall submit the plan to peer review pursuant to Section 7062, unless the department determines that peer review of the plan or plan amendment may be exempted pursuant to subdivision (c). If the department makes that determination, it shall submit its reasons for that determination to the commission with the plan. If the commission rejects a plan or plan amendment, including proposed regulations necessary for implementation, the commission shall return the plan or plan amendment to the department for revision and resubmission together with a written statement of reasons for the rejection. The department shall revise and resubmit the plan or plan amendment to the commission within 90 days of the rejection. The revised plan or plan amendment shall be subject to the review and adoption requirements of this chapter.

(b) The department may contract with qualified individuals or organizations to assist in the preparation of fishery management plans or plan amendments.

(c) The commission, with the advice of the department and consistent with Section 7059, shall adopt criteria to be applied in determining whether a plan or plan amendment may be exempted from peer review.

(d) Fishery participants and their representatives, fishery scientists, or other interested parties may propose plan provisions or plan amendments to the department or commission. The commission shall review any proposal submitted to the commission and may recommend to the department that the department develop a fishery management plan or plan amendment to incorporate the proposal.

(Added by Stats. 1998, Ch. 1052, Sec. 8. Effective January 1, 1999.)