An Act To Assist the Commercial Fishing Safety Council
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0538
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: WALSH INNES, WOODBURY, MacDONALD
Amends: 12 MRSA §6034

Legislative Document 
No. 538 
H.P. 421 
House of Representatives, February 15, 2011 
An Act To Assist the Commercial Fishing Safety Council 
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative WALSH INNES of Yarmouth. 
Cosponsored by Senator WOODBURY of Cumberland and 
Representative: MacDONALD of Boothbay. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §6034, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2009, c. 369, Pt. A, §25, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Appointment; composition.  The Commercial Fishing Safety Council, referred to 
in this section as "the council" and established by Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 
57-E, consists of 16 9 members, 15 of whom are appointed by the commissioner as 
follows: 
A.  One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Lobster 
Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of the Lobster Advisory Council; 
B.  One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Marine 
Resources Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of the Marine Resources 
Advisory Council; 
C.  One member who is a license holder under this Part and a member of the Sea 
Urchin Zone Council or the Scallop Advisory Council, recommended by the chair of 
the Sea Urchin Zone Council or the Scallop Advisory Council; 
D.  Five Three members who are license holders under this Part and who represent 
commercial marine harvesting activities; 
E.  An educator experienced in community-based adult education and volunteer 
safety training or an expert in fishing industry risk analysis and occupational health; 
F.  An expert in fishing industry risk analysis and occupational health; 
G.  An expert in marine safety equipment; 
H.  A representative of the marine insurance industry; 
I.  A marine surveyor; 
J.  A spouse or domestic partner of a license holder under this Part; and 
K.  A member of the public. 
The chair of the Marine Resources Advisory Council is an ex officio member of the 
council.  The composition of the council must reflect a geographic distribution along the 
coast of the State, to the degree possible.  The council may invite to carry out the duties 
of the council other participants on an ad hoc basis, including representatives of private or 
governmental organizations or individuals with expertise or interest in marine, education, 
labor or health matters. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6034, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 90, §2, is amended to 
read: 
2.  Term.  The term of an appointed member is 3 years, except a vacancy of a 
member before the expiration of the member's term must be filled in the same manner as 
the original member for the unexpired portion of the member's term.  An appointed 
member may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. 
SUMMARY 
This bill reduces the size of the Commercial Fishing Safety Council from 16 to 9 
members.  The bill also removes the chair of the Marine Resources Advisory Council as 
an ex officio member and removes the council's authority to invite other participants on 
an ad hoc basis.  The bill also removes the requirement that a member may not serve 
more than 2 consecutive terms.