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An Act To Protect Shellfish Conservation Areas
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6671, sub-§10-B, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 517, §1, is amended to read:
 
10-B. Molesting municipal shellfish gear placed in protected areas; netting buffer zones.   A municipality may, as part of a municipal shellfish conservation program, place protective netting, fencing, traps or other gear in the intertidal zone to provide protection from shellfish predators. Any netting, fencing, traps or other gear placed for this purpose must be clearly marked with signs or tags that identify the municipality that placed the gear and indicate the purpose of the gear.
 
A. A person may not tamper with, molest, disturb, alter, destroy or in any manner handle gear placed by a municipality in accordance with this subsection, and a person with a recreational or a commercial shellfish or marine worm license may not harvest shellfish or marine worms commercially or for personal use within a buffer zone of 10 feet around any protective netting.
 
B. A person who violates paragraph A commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $300 and not more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
 
SUMMARY
This bill specifies that a person with a recreational or commercial shellfish or marine worm license may not harvest shellfish or marine worms within a buffer zone of 10 feet around protective netting placed as part of a municipal shellfish conservation program.