Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶C, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §14, is amended to read:

C. Meets the requirements of the apprentice program under section 6422 or section 6475; or

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶D, as corrected by RR 2001, c. 2, Pt. A, §15, is amended to read:

D. Did not possess a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous calendar year because the commissioner had suspended the person's license privileges for a length of time that included the previous calendar year. ; or

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6421, sub-§5, ¶I is enacted to read:

I.__Is eligible to receive a license by transfer under section 6424.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6424 is enacted to read:

§6424.__Transfer of commercial lobster and crab fishing license

A person who holds a valid Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license may transfer that license to that person's child, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner or sibling if:

1. Apprentice program.__The child, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner or sibling has completed the apprentice program under section 6422 or section 6475; and

2. Notification required.__The license holder and the transferee under subsection 1 notify the department in writing of the transfer.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes the transfer of a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license by the license holder to that person's child, grandchild, spouse, domestic partner or sibling under certain conditions. The relative who is receiving the license by transfer must have completed the Department of Marine Resources' apprentice program for entry into the lobster fishery, and the license holder and the transferee must notify the department in writing of the transfer.