Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6431-A, sub-§1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 187, §1, is amended to read:

1. Limit. Before March 1, 2000, the holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license issued under section 6421 may not submerge more than 1,000 traps. After February 29, 2000, the The holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license issued under section 6421 may not submerge more than 800 traps. If a lower trap limit is adopted by rule for a zone pursuant to section 6446, a license holder who fishes in that zone may not submerge a number of traps that exceeds the lower limit.

The number of traps fished from a vessel may not exceed the applicable trap limit established in this subsection, regardless of the number of license holders fishing from that vessel.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6431-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:

2-A.__Swan's Island and federal waters of Zone B combined trap limit.__The holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license issued under section 6421 who fishes in the Swan's Island Lobster Conservation Area may fish in federal waters of Zone B as established by rule pursuant to section 6446 with an additional number of traps that, combined with the number of traps that person is fishing with in the Swan's Island Lobster Conservation Area, equals the maximum number of traps allowed for in federal waters of Zone B.

SUMMARY

This bill allows a person who fishes for lobsters in the Swan's Island Lobster Conservation Area to fish outside that area in other areas of federal waters of Zone B with the number of traps that, combined with the number of traps that person has submerged in the Swan's Island Lobster Conservation Area, equals the trap limit for federal waters of Zone B.