An Act Concerning Fish and Wildlife Program Funds
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0556
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: DAVIS, CLARK, DUCHESNE, FOSSEL, FREDETTE, HARVELL, SARTY, SHAW, WINTLE
Amends: 12 MRSA §10257, 12 MRSA §10263, 12 MRSA §11154

Legislative Document 
No. 556 
H.P. 439 
House of Representatives, February 15, 2011 
An Act Concerning Fish and Wildlife Program Funds 
Submitted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative DAVIS of Sangerville. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: CLARK of Millinocket, DUCHESNE of Hudson, FOSSEL 
of Alna, FREDETTE of Newport, HARVELL of Farmington, SARTY of Denmark, SHAW of 
Standish, WINTLE of Garland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10257, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected 
by Pt. D, §7 and c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
§10257.  Lake and River Protection Fund 
1.  Fund established.  The Lake and River Protection Fund, referred to in this section 
as the "fund," is established within the department as a nonlapsing fund.  The fund must 
be administered by the commissioner.  The fund is funded from fees collected for lake 
and river protection stickers issued under section 13058, subsection 3 and from other 
funds accepted for those purposes by the commissioner or allocated or appropriated by 
the Legislature.  Money in the fund may be used for enforcing laws pertaining to invasive 
aquatic plants and nuisance species, inspecting watercraft for invasive aquatic plant and 
nuisance species materials, educational and informational efforts targeted at invasive 
aquatic plant and nuisance species prevention, eradication and management activities and 
the production and distribution of lake and river protection stickers required under section 
13058, subsection 3.  For purposes of this section, "nuisance species" has the same 
meaning as in Title 38, section 1861, subsection 2. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10263 is enacted to read: 
§10263.  Moose Research Fund 
The Moose Research Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established 
within the department as a nonlapsing fund to be used by the commissioner to fund or 
assist in funding the research and the management of moose.  Revenue from the sale of 
any moose hunting permits issued by the commissioner under section 11154, subsection 
2-A must be deposited in the fund.  The commissioner may accept and deposit into the 
fund monetary gifts, donations or other contributions from public or private sources for 
the purposes specified in this section.  The fund must be held separate and apart from all 
other money, funds and accounts. 
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §11154, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A.  Additional permits.  In addition to moose hunting permits issued under 
subsection 2, and subject to the requirements of subsection 2, the commissioner may 
issue moose hunting permits to fund moose research and management activities; the 
revenue from these permits must be deposited into the Moose Research Fund established 
in section 10263. 
SUMMARY 
This bill adds language concerning nuisance species to the law concerning the Lake 
and River Protection Fund in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12 to be consistent with 
similar laws in Title 38. 
The bill establishes a fund for moose management and research, funded by the 
issuance of extra moose hunting permits, and authorizes the Commissioner of Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife to issue additional permits for this fund.