An Act To Allow Municipalities To Establish Shellfish Conservation Areas
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6671, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 494, §1, is further amended to read:
(1) Regulate or prohibit the possession of shellfish;
(2) Fix the amount of shellfish that may be taken;
(3) Provide for protection from shellfish predators;
(4) Authorize the municipal officials to open and close flats under specified conditions; and
(5) Specify areas of the intertidal zone in which the dragging of mussels may be limited to the degree necessary to support a municipal shellfish conservation program . ; and
(6) In accordance with paragraph D, designate conservation areas where harvesting any marine organisms is prohibited.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6671, sub-§3, ¶D is enacted to read:
summary
This bill allows municipalities or regional shellfish management committees to designate conservation areas where harvesting any marine organism is prohibited. In aggregate the conservation areas may not exceed 10% of the total harvestable area in the intertidal zone. A designated conservation area must be clearly marked with signs that identify the municipality or regional shellfish management committee that designated the area and indicate the purpose of the area.