The Deer Isle selectmen will decide at their meeting on May 20 on how to handle the ordinance question. The Shellfish Conservation Ordinance devised for the town of Stonington, which would be the same as the one for Deer Isle, would establish a shellfish conservation committee made up of 10 members, five representatives from each town. The purpose of the ordinance is to establish licenses, limit the number of harvesters and set restrictions on digging areas, minimum sizes and amounts of clams harvested. Licenses would be issued by the town clerk. People 65 and older or 12 and under will be issued licenses for free.
Recreational licenses restrict the licensee to no more than two pecks of shellfish for personal use.
The minimum legal size of soft shell clams must be more than two inches in the longest diameter. Licenses would be issued on May 1 and be valid for one year. The shellfish conservation committee in conjunction with the DMR would determine how many licenses would be issued each spring. The ordinance also makes provisions for license suspensions and the opening and closing of flats. All Rights Reserved.