(3) A number of Sheldon eel traps that is greater than the average number, rounded down, of traps that person was authorized to use during any of the elver fishing seasons in 1996, 1997 and 1998 for which that person held a license.

C. Beginning with the 2001 elver fishing season and in subsequent years, a person who is issued an elver fishing license pursuant to section 6505-A, subsection 2, paragraph D may not immerse more than one elver dip, elver fyke net or Sheldon eel trap.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6864, sub-§8 is enacted to read:

8. Reporting.__A dealer licensed under this section shall report the total annual harvest of elvers received by that dealer to the department within 30 days after the end of the elver fishing season.__The commissioner shall prescribe how that data and any other information necessary for a meaningful analysis of the elver harvest are reported to the department.

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

Effective April 4, 2006.

See title page for effective date.