An Act to Create a Restricted Senior Lobster and Crab Fishing License
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0811
Committee: Marine Resources
Sponsors: PERKINS, BABIN, FAULKINGHAM, HENDERSON, NESS, SWALLOW, WHITE
Amends: 12 MRSA §6421

Legislative Document
No. 811
H.P. 500
House of Representatives, February 21, 2023
An Act to Create a Restricted Senior Lobster and Crab Fishing 
License
Reference to the Committee on Marine Resources suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft.  (BY REQUEST)
Cosponsored by Representatives: BABIN of Fort Fairfield, FAULKINGHAM of Winter 
Harbor, HENDERSON of Rumford, NESS of Fryeburg, SWALLOW of Houlton, WHITE of 
Guilford.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§1, ¶C-1 is enacted to read:
C-1.  Restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license;
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1995, c. 568, §1, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Licensed activity.  The holder of a Class I, Class II, Class III, restricted senior, 
apprentice or student lobster and crab fishing license may fish for, take, possess, ship or 
transport within the State lobsters or crabs and sell lobsters or crabs the license holder has 
taken.  The license does not authorize the license holder to remove lobster meat from the 
shell or to take, possess, transport or ship lobster parts or meat.  The holder of a Class II or 
Class III license is liable for the licensed activities under this subsection of all unlicensed 
crew members assisting that licensee.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§3-A, ¶C-1 is enacted to read:
C-1.  A restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license authorizes the license holder 
to engage in the licensed activities under subsection 2.  A restricted senior lobster and 
crab fishing license may be issued only to a person who, at the time of issuance, is 70 
years of age or older and has previously held a Class I, Class II or Class III license for 
a period of at least 5 consecutive years.  A person issued a restricted senior lobster and 
crab fishing license may not submerge more than 100 lobster traps at any one time in 
the coastal waters of the State.  At the time a restricted senior lobster and crab fishing 
license is issued or renewed, the applicant or license holder shall declare the vessel that 
will be used to conduct lobster and crab fishing activities under that license.  The 
license holder's trap tags are allocated to that vessel, pursuant to the license.  The 
department is not authorized to issue more than 100 restricted senior trap tags to the 
declared vessel, regardless of the number of restricted senior license holders fishing 
from that vessel.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5-F is enacted to read:
5-F.  Restricted senior eligibility.  A restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license 
may be issued to a person 70 years of age or older only if the person has previously held a 
Class I, Class II or Class III license for a period of at least 5 consecutive years.
Sec. 5.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-B, ¶Q, as amended by PL 2019, c. 575, §1, is 
further amended to read:
Q.  For a noncommercial lobster and crab fishing license, $60, except as provided in 
subsection 7‑D; and
Sec. 6.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-B, ¶R, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. EEEEE, 
§3, is amended to read:
R.  For a nonresident lobster and crab landing permit, $590.25.; and
Sec. 7.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-B, ¶S is enacted to read:
S.  For a restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license, $126.
Sec. 8.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-C, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. EEEEE, 
§3, is amended to read:
F.  For a nonresident Class II license, $120; and
Sec. 9.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-C, ¶G, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 284, Pt. 
EEEEE, §3, is amended to read:
G.  For a nonresident Class III license, $180.; and
Sec. 10.  12 MRSA §6421, sub-§7-C, ¶H is enacted to read:
H.  For a restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license, $20.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a restricted senior lobster and crab fishing license. A restricted 
senior lobster and crab fishing license can be issued only to a person 70 years of age or 
older who has previously held a Class I, Class II or Class III license for at least 5 
consecutive years.  A restricted senior lobster and crab fishing licensee may not submerge 
at any one time more than 100 lobster traps and the applicant for the license or the license 
holder must declare the vessel that will be used for lobster and crab fishing at the time of 
issuance or renewal.  The license holder's trap tags are allocated to that vessel and the 
Department of Marine Resources is not authorized to issue more than 100 restricted senior 
lobster and crab fishing trap tags to a declared vessel regardless of the number of restricted 
senior lobster and crab fishing license holders fishing from that vessel.  The bill also assigns 
a license fee and license surcharge of $126 and $20 respectively for a restricted senior 
lobster and crab fishing license.