An Act To Establish the Seaweed Advisory Council and To Enhance the Management of the Seaweed Fishery
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0369
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: DEVIN
Amends: 5 MRSA §12004-I, 12 MRSA §6087, 12 MRSA §6806

Legislative Document
No. 369
H.P. 275
House of Representatives, February 2, 2017
An Act To Establish the Seaweed Advisory Council and To Enhance 
the Management of the Seaweed Fishery
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative DEVIN of Newcastle.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §12004-I, sub-§57-H is enacted to read: 
57-H.   
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6087 is enacted to read: 
§6087.  Seaweed Advisory Council 
1.  Appointment; composition.  The Seaweed Advisory Council, established by 
Title 5, section 12004-I, subsection 57-H and referred to in this section as "the council," 
consists of 5 members appointed by the commissioner as follows: 
A.  Two members who each hold either a seaweed permit or seaweed buyer's license; 
B.  Two members who are seaweed aquaculture lease holders; and 
C.  One member of the scientific community. 
The commissioner shall make appointments so that the composition of the council 
reflects the diversity of the State's seaweed operations. 
2.  Purpose.  The council shall: 
A.  Make recommendations to the commissioner and the joint standing committee of 
the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resources matters on all matters 
concerning the health of the seaweed resource, its ecosystem and the industry it 
supports. 
B.  Make recommendations to the commissioner regarding expenditures from the 
Seaweed Management Fund as described in section 6806. 
3.  Term.  The term of a member appointed to the council is 3 years, except that a 
vacancy during an unexpired term must be filled in the same manner as for the original 
member for the unexpired portion of the member's term.  A member may not serve more 
than 2 consecutive terms. 
4.  Officers.  The officers of the council are the chair, vice-chair and secretary.  The 
term of the officers is one year.  The council shall elect a member of the council for each 
officer position at the first regular meeting of each year. 
5.  Meeting.  The council shall meet at least once a year.  It may also meet at other 
times at the call of the chair or the commissioner. 
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §6806, sub-§3, as reallocated by RR 1999, c. 1, §18, is 
amended to read: 
Marine Resources Seaweed Advisory 
Council 
Expenses Only 
MRSA §6087 
3.  Plan required.  Beginning in calendar year 2000 2018, the commissioner shall by 
May 1st of each year present a plan for expenditures from the fund for the next fiscal year 
to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine 
resource matters.  When developing the plan, the commissioner shall consult with 
harvesters and seaweed dealers the Seaweed Advisory Council established in Title 5, 
section 12004-I, subsection 57-H. 
Sec. 4.  Staggered terms.  Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, 
section 6087, subsection 3, of the initial appointments of the Seaweed Advisory Council, 
the Commissioner of Marine Resources shall designate the first 2 appointments for 2-year 
terms and the next 3 appointments for 3-year terms.  An initial term of 2 years may not be 
considered a full term for purposes of limiting the number of terms for which a member 
may serve. 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes the Seaweed Advisory Council to advise the Commissioner of 
Marine Resources and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction 
over marine resources matters on matters of interest to the State's seaweed industry.