‘Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6671, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2007, c. 494, §1, is further amended to read:
3. Shellfish conservation ordinance. The following provisions govern a shellfish conservation ordinance.
A. Within any area of the municipality, a shellfish conservation ordinance may:
(1) Regulate or prohibit the possession of shellfish;
(2) Fix the amount of shellfish that may be taken;
(3) Provide for protection from shellfish predators;
(4) Authorize the municipal officials to open and close flats under specified conditions; and
(5) Specify areas of the intertidal zone in which the dragging of mussels may be limited to the degree necessary to support a municipal shellfish conservation program . ; and
(6) In accordance with paragraph D, prohibit harvesting any marine organism in a buffer zone around netting placed to provide for protection from shellfish predators pursuant to subparagraph (3).
B. An ordinance must limit the size of soft-shell clams in accordance with article 5.
C. Except as provided in section 6621, subsection 3, paragraph C, a program or ordinance may not allow surveying, sampling or harvesting of shellfish in areas closed by regulation of the commissioner.
D. A buffer zone established pursuant to paragraph A, subparagraph (6) may not exceed 5 feet between any 2 nets and may not exceed 20 feet beyond the outermost perimeter of a net or multiple nets when those nets are placed within 5 feet of each other.’