An Act To Make Technical Changes to Maine's Marine Resources Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0263
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: McCREIGHT
Amends: 12 MRSA §6174, 12 MRSA §6301, 12 MRSA §6431-B, 12 MRSA §6810-B

Legislative Document
No. 263
H.P. 184
House of Representatives, January 29, 2021
An Act To Make Technical Changes to Maine's Marine Resources 
Laws
Submitted by the Department of Marine Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 204.
Received by the Clerk of the House on January 27, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Marine Resources pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative McCREIGHT of Harpswell.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §6174, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2003, c. 248, §3, is further 
amended to read:
3.  Penalty.  Whoever violates a rule commits a civil violation for which a fine of not 
less than $100 for each violation may be adjudged, unless another penalty is provided.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6301, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 2005, c. 434, §3, is further 
amended to read:
D.  A shellfish sanitation certificate issued under section 6856 expires on May March 
31st of each year;
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §6431-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 197, §9, is amended 
to read:
2.  Penalties.  A person may not fish or have on board a vessel a lobster trap unless a 
valid lobster trap tag issued by the commissioner is securely attached to the frame of the 
trap.  A person who violates a rule adopted pursuant to subsection 1 this subsection 
commits:
A.  A civil violation for which a fine of $250 must be adjudged if the person fishes 25 
or fewer traps that are not tagged in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to 
subsection 1; and
B.  A Class D crime if the person fishes more than 25 traps that are not tagged in 
accordance with rules adopted pursuant to subsection 1.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §6810-B, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 296, §9, is amended 
to read:
5.  Exemption; limited-purpose aquaculture license for personal use or research.  
Notwithstanding subsections 2, 3 and 4, the holder of a limited-purpose aquaculture license 
issued under section 6072-C may remove, possess or transport within the state limits 
organisms cultured under that license, subject to all other applicable requirements of this 
Part an aquaculture license is not required for an aquaculture lease holder or a holder of a 
limited-purpose aquaculture license issued under section 6072-C who is using that lease or 
license only for personal use or for research purposes.
SUMMARY
This bill changes the expiration date of shellfish sanitation certificates from May 31st 
to March 31st and clarifies that an aquaculture license is not needed for holders of 
aquaculture leases or limited-purpose aquaculture licenses who are using the lease or 
license only for personal use or for research purposes.  The bill clarifies that a lobster trap 
tag issued by the Department of Marine Resources must be securely attached to the frame 
of the trap.  The bill also provides that the specific penalty for violation of a rule adopted 
by the department may be specified in that rule.