Whereas, family livelihoods are and will continue to be severely impacted if this area is closed to dragging; and

Whereas, it is necessary to reopen the area as soon as possible; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6959-A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 160, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:

§6959-A. Dragging in Taunton River area

1.__Dragging prohibited.__A person may not fish with any drag or combination of drags in the territorial waters westerly and northerly of Sullivan Falls in the towns of Hancock and Sullivan in Hancock County, including Egypt Bay, Taunton Bay and Hog Bay.__ This section does not apply to research activities in Taunton Bay that are authorized by the commissioner.__Research activities may include, but are not limited to, scientific studies and experimental commercial mussel harvesting.

2.__Exception.__Notwithstanding subsection 1, a person may fish with any drag or combination of drags in the territorial waters of Taunton Bay north of Sullivan Falls and south of the Route 1 bridge in the towns of Hancock and Sullivan in Hancock County.

3.__Repeal.__This section is repealed July 1, 2008.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill allows dragging in the Taunton River area north of Sullivan Falls and south of the Route 1 bridge in the towns of Hancock and Sullivan in Hancock County.