128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 201		LR 1418(02)
	An Act To Provide Flexibility in the Purchase of Lobster and Crab Trap Tags
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
	Committee: Marine Resources
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
			FY 2017-18	FY 2018-19	Projections  FY 2019-20	Projections  FY 2020-21
Appropriations/Allocations
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$0	$50,000	$0	$0
Revenue
	Other Special Revenue Funds		$0	($225,000)	($225,000)	($225,000)
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Currently a lobster license holder may increase the number of trap tags purchased by 100 tags per year, up to a maximum limit of either 800 trap tags or the maximum zone limit in which the license is issued.  This bill would allow licensees to purchase up to the maximum number of tags that person had ever held, up to the 800 trap limit, removing the annual limit increase being tied to the immediately prior year.
	The Department of Marine Resources estimates that this bill will reduce the number of lobster trap tags purchased annually by lobster license holders.  The department estimates that up to 600,000, or 20%, of the total number of lobster trap tags sold are in excess of the licensees' fishing requirements and are purchased solely to maintain the licensees' maximum tag quota.  The department estimates a loss of between $150,000 and $300,000 in annual Other Special Revenue Funds revenue to the Lobster Management Fund, starting in fiscal year 2018-19 and this fiscal note has assumed the revenue loss at $225,000.
	This bill will require significant programming and development changes to the Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System (LEEDS), the departments' online licensing and landings management system. The bill includes a one-time allocation of $50,000 to implement these changes. The Lobster Management Fund has sufficient resources to fund the additional allocation.