An Act Concerning Age Requirements for Student, Apprentice and Noncommercial Lobster Licenses
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1368
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: BULL, DAMON
Amends: 12 MRSA §6421, 12 MRSA §6422

Legislative Document 
No. 1368 
H.P.1003 
House of Representatives, March 18,2003 
An Act Concerning Age Requirements for Student, Apprentice and 
Noncommercial Lobster Licenses 
Submitted by the Department of Marine Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative BULL of Freeport. 
Cosponsored by Senator DAMON of Hancock. 
Printed on ""yeW rarer 
/J1~ 
117.1ll4C~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 12 MRS A §6421, sub~§3-A, ,E, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
490, §l, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
E. 
A student license authorizes 
the 
license holder 
to 
engage in the licensed acti vi ties under subsection 2. 
A 
student license may be issued only to a person who, at the 
time of application, is 8 years of age or older and under 23 
years of age. 
A person issued a student license may not 
submerge more than: 
( 1) 
Ten lobster traps in the coastal waters of the 
State if the person is 8 years of age or older and 
under 11 years of age; 
(2) 
Fifty lobster traps in the coastal waters of the 
State if the person is 11 years of age or older and 
under 14 years of age; or 
(3) 
One hundred and fifty lobster traps in the coastal 
waters of the State if the person is 14 years of age or 
older and under 23 vears of age. 
A 
person 
issued 
a 
student 
license is 
enrolled in 
the 
apprentice program under section 6422. 
When applying for a 
license 
the 
person 
must 
designate 
a 
sponsor. 
For 
the 
purposes of this paragraph, 
"sponsor" means 
a person who 
holds a Class I, Class lIar Class III lobster and crab 
fishing license issued under this section. 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6421, s'01o-§S-A, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
568, §l, is further amended to read: 
5-A. 
Student license eligibility. 
A student license may 
only be issued to a person who, at the time of application, is a 
full-time student a91:-me-r-e--t:han--66 8 years of age or older and 
under 23 years of age. 
For the purposes of this subsection, 
"full-time student" means "student" as defined in Title 39-A, 
section 102, subsection 8, paragraph C. 
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6421, :mb-§S-B, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 
581, §1, is amended to read: 
5-B. 
Boncotmlercial 
lQbster 
and 
crab 
fishing 
license 
eligibility. 
Beginning with license year 2003, 
a noncommercial 
lobster and crab fishing license may be issued only to a person 
who, at the time of application, is 8 years of age or older and 
has: 
, 
A. 
Successfully 
completed 
a 
lobster 
and 
crab 
fishing 
written examination, as provided in section 6423; or 
B. 
Held a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab 
fishing license and has landed lobster under that license. 
Once a person successfully completes the examination, that person 
need not repeat the examination to renew the license. 
Sec. 4. 12 MRS A §6421, sub-§5-C is enacted to read: 
5-C. 
Apprentice 
lobster 
and 
crab 
fishing 
license 
eligibility. 
An apprentice lobster and crab fishing license may 
be issued only to a person who, at the time of application, is 8 
years of age or older. 
Sec.S. 12 MRSA §6422, s1}ry-§I, as amended by PL 1999, c. 490, 
§2, is further amended to read: 
1. 
Program establisheo.; experience component. 
By July 1, 
1996, 
the commissioner shall establish by rule an apprentice 
program for entry into the lobster fishery. 
The program must 
include practical lobster fishing experience. 
A person must be 8 
years of age or older and hold an apprentice lobster and crab 
fishing license or a student lobster and crab fishing license 
under section 6421 to enter the program. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the laws concerning age requirements for 
stUdent, apprentice and noncommercial lobster license holders by 
setting a minimum age of 8 years and a graduated trap limit for 
student license holders depending on their age.