An Act To Remove Nighttime Restrictions on Lobster Fishing in a Certain Area in the Bay of Fundy
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6440, as amended by PL 2017, c. 32, §1, is further amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:
Notwithstanding subsection 1, a person may raise or haul any lobster trap from September 1st to October 31st, both days inclusive, during any time of the day in an area in the Bay of Fundy that encompasses approximately 210 square miles around Machias Seal Island where there are overlapping claims of sovereignty by the United States and Canada if that person is authorized to fish in the lobster management zone established pursuant to section 6446 in which the area described is located. The commissioner shall define this area in rule to ensure that the boundaries of this area are clearly delineated. Rules adopted pursuant to this section regarding the boundaries of the area are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
summary
This bill is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources pursuant to Resolve 2019, chapter 23, section 2. The resolve directed the Commissioner of Marine Resources to allow a person to raise or haul any lobster trap from September 1, 2019 to October 31, 2019 during any time of the day in an area in the Bay of Fundy, referred to as "the gray zone," that encompasses approximately 210 square miles around Machias Seal Island where there are overlapping claims of sovereignty by the United States and Canada if that person is authorized to fish in the lobster management zone in which the area described is located. The resolve required the commissioner to submit a report to the committee describing the results of this limited allowance, and this bill implements the findings of that report.
This bill allows a person who holds a lobster and crab fishing license to raise or haul any lobster trap during any time of the day from September 1st to October 31st in the gray zone if that person is authorized to fish in that area. The bill also requires the commissioner to define this area in rule to ensure that the boundaries of this area are clearly delineated.