An Act Regarding
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1353
Committee Amendment CA_A_H873 (House)
Amends: 12 MRSA §6502-C

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT UT\" to H,P. 876, L,D. 1353, "An Act Regarding
Required Landings in the Menhaden Fishery"
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and inserting the
following;
'See. 1. 12 MRSA §6502-C, sub-§l-C, as enacted by PL 2023, c. 169, §2 and
affected by §5, is amended to read;
1-C. JVIenhaden license limited entry system. Notwithstanding subsection 1-B, the
commissioner may establish by rule a limited entry system under which a person who did
not hold a commercial menhaden license in the previous calendar year may become eligible
to obtain that license when the total number of commercial menhaden licenses is less than
350 licenses and as long as the fishery exit ratio is one to one, The rules for a limited entry
system must include provisions for the method and administration of the system. Rules
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter
375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6502-C, sub-§l-E is enacted to read:
1-E. Commercial menhaden fishine license elieibilitv in 2026. Notwithstandmg
subsection 1-B. the commissioner may issue a 2026 resident commercial menhaden fishing
licenseor a 2026 nonresident commercial menhaden fishing license to an individual if that
individual;
A, Possessed a license to fish commercially for menhaden in at least one of the
followine 3 years. 2019. 2020 or 2021;
B. According to deRartment records. reported legal landings ofmenhaden of 20,000
pounds or more under a commercial menhaden fishing license m at least one of the
followine 3 years. 2019. 2020 or 2021:and
C, Did not Qualify foror receive a license for any period of time under subsection 1-A.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
A^
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "/4 " to H.P, 876, L,D, 1353
A
Documentation, acceptable to the _department. .showing that the landing requirement in
paragraph B has been met must be based on information reported to the department prior
to January 1.2023.
Sec. 3. Department of Marine Resources; report. Prior to adopting rules under
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6502-C, subsection 1-C, the Department of
Marine Resources shall identify groups that should be prioritized for the first available
licenses and develop an enfay plan to provide the first opportunity for licenses to mdividuals
in the identified groups. The department shall report its findings to the joint standing
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resources matters by January
1,2027,'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill. It authorizes the Commissioner of Marine Resources
to issue a 2026 resident commercial menhaden fishing license or a 2026 nonresident
commercial menhaden fishing license to an individual if that individual reported legal
landings ofmenhaden of 20,000 pounds or more under a commercial menhaden fishing
license in at least one of the following years, 2019,2020 or 2021, The individual must also
have possessed a license to fish commercially for menhaden in at least one of the following
years, 2019, 2020 or 2021, and may not have qualified for or received a license for any
period in 2023. The amendment establishes that no more than 350 commercial menhaden
licenses are to be issued and the fishery has an exit ratio of one to one, Finally, the
amendment directs the Department of Marine Resources to identify groups that should be
prioritized for the first available licenses and develop an entry plan to provide the first
opportunity for licenses to individuals in the identified groups and report findings to the
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resources
matters by January 1, 2027,
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 02/05/26 t-Kt.
LD 1353 LR 728(02)
An Act Regarding Required Landings in the Menhaden Fishery
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment '/f'
Committee: Marine Resources
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - General Fund
Minor revenue increase - Other Special Revenue Funds
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Any additional costs to the Department of Marine Resources to implement the report-back requirements of the bill are
expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. Changes to the qualifying criteria for a
commercial menhaden fishing license may result in a minor increase in Other Special Revenue Funds revenue to the
department,
LR0728(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1