Sec. 4. 12 MRSA c. 623, sub-c. 4, art. 3 is enacted to read:

Article 3

LIMITATIONS ON SEA CUCUMBER DRAG LICENSES

§6821.__Limited entry

1.__License eligibility.__The commissioner may not issue a sea cucumber drag license under section 6801-A to any person unless that person possessed that license in the previous calendar year or becomes eligible to obtain that license pursuant to a limited entry system under subsection 2.

2.__Sea cucumber drag license limited entry system.__The commissioner may establish by rule a limited entry system under which a person who did not hold a sea cucumber drag license under section 6801-A in the previous calendar year may become eligible to obtain that license.__The rules for a limited entry system must include provisions for the method and administration of the system.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

3.__Exceptions.__Notwithstanding subsection 1, the following persons may be issued a sea cucumber drag license for license year 2006:

A.__A person who was certified as eligible for and obtained a sea cucumber endorsement in 2000; and

B.__A person who reported landings of at least 100,000 pounds of sea cucumbers during license year 2002, 2003 or 2004.

4.__Protection from depletion.__The commissioner may adopt rules for the sea cucumber drag license limited entry system to prohibit new entry in a year when it is necessary to protect or conserve the sea cucumber resource from imminent depletion.