7.__Exception.__Notwithstanding any rule adopted by the commissioner, a person holding a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster or crab fishing license issued pursuant to section 6310, subsection 2, paragraph A may request to fish in any lobster management zone regardless of any zone restrictions.

Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §6448, sub-§8, ¶D is enacted to read:

D.__A person who is issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license on appeal pursuant to section 6310, subsection 2, paragraph A, subparagraph (3) may declare any zone as that person's declared lobster zone.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the eligibility requirements for the issuance on appeal of a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license to a person who served in the United States Armed Forces or the United States Coast Guard to include that if a person held one of these licenses while in the service, that person is entitled to a license on a successful appeal. The bill also allows the service member who has won the appeal to choose a zone in which to fish regardless of the zone restrictions and to purchase not more than 300 trap tags for the first year with the normal increase of 100 trap tags per year up to the zone maximum limit of trap tags.