Page 1 - 131LR2053(03)
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
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H.P. 940 - L.D. 1444
An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Eligibility Restrictions for
Commercial Menhaden Fishing Licenses
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation changes the eligibility restrictions for commercial
menhaden fishing licenses and needs to take effect as soon as possible to apply to the 2023
commercial menhaden fishing season; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now,
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6502-C, sub-§1-A, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 670, §1, is
amended to read:
A. Possessed a license to fish commercially for menhaden in at least 2 of the following
3 4 years, 2019, 2020 or, 2021 or 2022 except that an individual who is eligible for a
commercial menhaden fishing license in 2023 and who held a 2nd commercial
menhaden fishing license in 2022 is not eligible for a 2nd license in 2023; and
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6502-C, sub-§1-C is enacted to read:
1-C. Menhaden license limited entry system.
commissioner may establish by rule a limited entry system under which a person who did
not hold a commercial menhaden license in the previous calendar year may become eligible
to obtain that license. The rules for a limited entry system must include provisions for the
method and administration of the system. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are
routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6502-C, sub-§1-D is enacted to read:
1-D. Fees.
system established in subsection 1-C.
APPROVED
JUNE 15, 2023
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
169
PUBLIC LAW Page 2 - 131LR2053(03)
Sec. 4. Report. By January 15, 2024, the Commissioner of Marine Resources shall
submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources with details on the
implementation of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6502-C, subsections 1-A,
1-B and 1-C. The committee has the authority to report out a bill to the Second Regular
Session of the 131st Legislature based on the report.
Sec. 5. Retroactivity. This Act applies retroactively to January 1, 2023.
Emergency clause.
takes effect when approved.