An Act To Achieve Compliance with the Interstate Lobster Fishery Management Plan
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0373
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: DAMON, KAELIN, PERCY
Amends: 12 MRSA §6431

Legislative Document 
No. 373 
S.P. 120 
In Senate, January 25, 2005 
An Act To Achieve Compliance with the Interstate Lobster Fishery 
Management Plan 
(EMERGENCY) 
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 Senator DAMON of Hancock. 
JOY 1. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representatives: KAELIN of Winterport, PERCY of Phippsburg. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas. acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission has 
voted to find Maine in noncompliance with the Interstate Lobster 
Fishery Management Plan if the State does not change its lobster 
laws by March 2005; and 
Whereas, this legislation needs to be an emergency so that 
Maine can be in compliance before the March deadline; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency wi thin 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Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6431, sub-§I, as repealed and replaced by PL 
1991, c. 31, §1 and affected by §2, is amended to read: 
1. 
Minimum and maximum lenqth. 
A person may not buy, sell, 
give away, transport, ship or possess any lobster that is less 
than the minimum size established in this subsection or more than 
inches in length, 
as determined by the state double gauge 
lobster measure. 
Except as provided in tRis subsection I-A, the 
minimum lobster size is 3 8/32 inches. 
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Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6431, sub-§I-A is enacted to read: 
I-A. 
Most restrictive minimum size. 
A person possessing a 
valid lobster and crab fishing license and who also owns or. is 
incorporated or partnered in a vessel holding a federal limited 
access 
lobster permit must 
comply with the most 
restrictive 
minimum lobster size for all federal lobster management areas 
declared on the federal permit, 
as contained in the Atlantic 
States Marine Fisheries Commission Interstate Fishery Management 
Plan for American Lobster, wherever the fishing activity occurs. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill strikes existing language that prevents Maine from 
enforcing a larger minimum size for lobster than 3 8/32 inches 
except in the case of contingent action by the Federal Government 
and other New England states. 
It adds new language that requires 
individuals who possess both a Maine lobster and crab fishing 
license and a federal limited access lobster permit to comply 
wi th the largest minimum lobster size for all federal lobster 
management areas declared on their licenses wherever they are 
fishing.