Bills before Maine's Marine Resources Committee in the first session of the 132nd Legislature

 Bills before the Marine Resources Committee  in the first session of the 132nd legislature.)

Committee Members list:Click on the above link and scroll halfway down the page. List will be on left size of page . 

Link to written public testimomy  submitted to the Committee, regarding the 40 bills below  Future testimony will be added there  as it comes in 

The Bills: 

1.	LD 44	(HP8)
	An Act to Amend the Laws Pertaining to Elver Fishing
2.	LD 64	(HP28)
	An Act to Eliminate the Cultchless American Oyster Growers License
3.	LD 144	(SP80)
	An Act to Create a Limited Retail Seafood Harvester Certificate
4.	LD 214	(HP137)
	An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry
5.	LD 325	(HP225)
	An Act Related to the Disbursement of Revenue Generated from the Harvesting of River Herring
6.	LD 336	(HP236)
	An Act to Change the Waiting List System for Commercial Lobster and Crab Fishing Licenses
7.	LD 475	(SP215)
	An Act to Protect Maine's Marine Resources
8.	LD 489	(HP318)
	An Act to Provide for a Vessel Breakdown License Exception for Commercial Halibut Fishing License Holders
9.	LD 553	(SP208)
	An Act to Assert State Sovereignty over Ocean Waters and Marine Resources up to 12 Nautical Miles off the State's Coast
10.	LD 619	(HP387)
	An Act Related to Marine Resources and Maine's Working Waterfront
11.	LD 687	(SP304)
	An Act to Assert State Ownership over Ocean Waters up to 12 Nautical Miles and Submerged Lands and Marine Resources up to 24 Nautical Miles off the State's Coast and to Direct the Attorney General to Study That Ownership
12.	LD 816	(HP523)
	An Act Regarding the Emptying of Elver Fyke Nets
13.	LD 851	(HP537)
	An Act to Establish a Senior Retiree Lobster License
14.	LD 968	(HP628)
	Resolve, to Study Stakeholder Input Involving the Appointment of the Commissioner of Marine Resources
15.	LD 1026	(SP444)
	An Act to Provide Mapping Services for Aquaculture Lease Siting
16.	LD 1094	(HP716)
	An Act to Prohibit a Person from Obtaining an Elver Dealer's License for a Minimum of 5 Years in Cases of Repeat Violations of License Conditions
17.	LD 1172	(HP777)
	An Act to Enact the Passamaquoddy Fisheries and Workforce Development Act
18.	LD 1176	(HP781)
	An Act to Provide for the Sustainable Management of Marine Resources and Create a Noncommercial Northern Shrimp License
19.	LD 1253	(HP828)
	An Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Marine Resources to Add Limited-access Area Fishing Days During the Scallop Season
20.	LD 1279	(HP854)
	An Act to Require the Department of Marine Resources to Conduct Biotoxin Testing of Cultured Scallops
21.	LD 1319	(SP549)
	An Act to Amend the Law Regarding the Suspension of Licenses Issued by the Department of Marine Resources for Failure to Comply with Reporting Requirements
22.	LD 1341	(SP556)
	Resolve, Directing the Department of Marine Resources to Evaluate How to Effectively Allow 2 Licensed Individuals to Fish for Lobsters or Scallops from a Single Vessel
23.	LD 1352	(HP875)
	An Act to Amend Provisions Regarding the Scallop Fishery License Apprentice Program, Licensing and Limited Access Areas
24.	LD 1353	(HP876)
	An Act Regarding Required Landings in the Menhaden Fishery
25.	LD 1503	(HP987)
	An Act to Create a Green Crab Only Wholesale Dealer License ============================= 26. LD 1561 (HP1019) Resolve, Regarding the Percentage of a Lobster and Crab Fishing Licensee's Lobster Traps That May Be Fished in a Lobster Management Zone Listed on the License as a Secondary Zone 27. LD 1595 (HP1053) An Act to Strengthen Working Waterfronts Against Nuisance Complaints Regarding Aquaculture 28. LD 1596 (HP1054) An Act to Support Maine's Sea Farmers 29. LD 1625 (HP1079) An Act Regarding the Preservation of Working Waterfronts 30. LD 1678 (HP1113) An Act to Allocate Commercial Menhaden Fishing Licenses for Island Communities 31. LD 1679 (HP1114) An Act to Allocate Scallop Dragging Licenses for Island Communities 32. LD 1708 (HP1143) An Act to Create the Commercial Fishing Safety Fund to Further Develop Training and Provide Equipment to Recover Ships and Other Watercraft and Persons in Distress or Lost at Sea 33. LD 1722 (HP1149) An Act to Simplify the Regulation of Aquaculture Leases 34. LD 1790 (HP1201) An Act Regarding Lobster Measurement 35. LD 1991 (SP803) An Act to Authorize an Educational Requirement for Seaweed Permit Holders 36. LD 2002 (SP816) An Act to Extend the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to December 31, 2031 37. LD 2013 (HP1343) An Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Marine Resources to Adopt Emergency Rules to Protect Certain Marine Mammals in Exceptional Circumstances 38. LD 2024 (HP1354) An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers 39. LD 2025 (HP1355) An Act to Create a Limited-purpose License for Aquaculture Nursery and Husbandry Activities and to Clarify the Aquaculture Lease Amendment Process 40. LD 2031 (HP1361) An Act to Offer Military Veterans a 50 Percent Discount on the License Fee for a Commercial Shellfish License 26. LD 1561 (HP1019) Resolve, Regarding the Percentage of a Lobster and Crab Fishing Licensee's Lobster Traps That May Be Fished in a Lobster Management Zone Listed on the License as a Secondary Zone 27. LD 1595 (HP1053) An Act to Strengthen Working Waterfronts Against Nuisance Complaints Regarding Aquaculture 28. LD 1596 (HP1054) An Act to Support Maine's Sea Farmers 29. LD 1625 (HP1079) An Act Regarding the Preservation of Working Waterfronts 30. LD 1678 (HP1113) An Act to Allocate Commercial Menhaden Fishing Licenses for Island Communities 31. LD 1679 (HP1114) An Act to Allocate Scallop Dragging Licenses for Island Communities 32. LD 1708 (HP1143) An Act to Create the  to Further Develop Training and Provide Equipment to Recover Ships and Other Watercraft and Persons in Distress or Lost at Sea 33. LD 1722 (HP1149) An Act to Simplify the Regulation of Aquaculture Leases 34. LD 1790 (HP1201) An Act Regarding Lobster Measurement 35. LD 1991 (SP803) An Act to Authorize an Educational Requirement for Seaweed Permit Holders 36. LD 2002 (SP816) An Act to Extend the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to December 31, 2031 37. LD 2013 (HP1343) An Act to Authorize the Commissioner of Marine Resources to Adopt Emergency Rules to Protect Certain Marine Mammals in Exceptional Circumstances 38. LD 2024 (HP1354) An Act to Make Changes to Certain Licensing Laws Governing For-hire Charter Boat Operators, Lobster and Crab Fishing and Elver Dealers 39. LD 2025 (HP1355) An Act to Create a Limited-purpose License for Aquaculture Nursery and Husbandry Activities and to Clarify the Aquaculture Lease Amendment Process 40. LD 2031 (HP1361) An Act to Offer Military Veterans a 50 Percent Discount on the License Fee for a Commercial Shellfish License END

Maine Legislature 2025. 1/16/25 Marine Resource committee meets interest groups

On January 16, the Maine Legislature's Marine Resources Committee heard from thirteen  people representing Maine marine science, ecology and industry interests

The meeting begins with an 11 minute introduction of the committee's members.

* Sebastian Belle, Maine Aquaculture Association 3min 37min

* Peter Fallon, Maine Coast Charter Boat Captains 4min3sec

* Stacy Kiefer, Maine Marine Trades Association 6min 42sec

* Robin Hadlock Seeley,   Maine Rockweed Coalition 3min5sec

* Maine Seaweed Council 3min27sec

* Chase Jackson The Nature Conservancy  7min

* Protect Maine Fishing Heritage 5min 30sec

* Abbie Remick UME 5min554sec

* Campbell Scott Oceans Alive (submersibles)  6min30sec

* Emily Coffin, Maine Coast Fishermens Association 5min 14sec

* Marianne Lacroix Maine lobster Marketing Assoc 4 min58sec

*  Kyle Pepperman  Downeast Institute_2min55sec

* Emily Farr, Manomet  4min42sec

Marine Resources Committee considers, rejects LD 1844 Audio from worksession

 On Feb 15th the Marine Resources Committee held an interesting worksession on LD 1844.  An Act To Provide for Special Fees for Certain Aquaculture Lease Applications and To Amend Other Provisions in the Laws Governing Aquaculture Leases  Listen to the vario9us speakers and the decision "Ought not to pass".. A heated discussion followed

1 ,Intro 23sec

2. Analyst reviews bill 6min47sec

3.DEP Livesay 1. 5min

4. Livesay Q & A 9min51sec

5. Discuss amendment to bill 6min

6. Sebastian Bell, Me Aqua Asssoc 1min24sec

7. DMR responds to Bell 1min10sec

8. Vote Ought Not to Pass_discussion to end 6min19sec

Maine Legislature's Marine Resources Committee briefed by two lobster associations & aquaculture Association

 On January 26, 2021  the Marine Resources Committee held two orientation sessions. 

Below are links to  the morning session  presenters  including Dave Sullivan of the Maine Lobstering Union  and Sebastian Belle of the Maine Aquaculture Association.

Dave Sullivan , Maine Lobstering Union 14min 58sec

 Patrice McCarron of the Maine  Lobstermen's Association and Q&A 24min30sec

Sebastian Belle Maine Aquaculture Assoc & Q&A 13 sec

LBAs - ME Legislature got 2-agency briefing on Land Based Aquaculture 1/21/20.. AUDIO mp3s

On January 21, 2020, Maine Legislature's Marine Resources Committee got a briefing on  Land Based Aquaculture by  Dept of Marine Resources and Dept of Environmental Protection  Listen:


1.  DMR Deputy Commissioner Meredith Mendelson, 11 minutes,(CLICK HERE).   DMR slides 4 per link)
slide 1 ** slide 2 ** slide 3 ** slide 4

DEP's Bertocci,Wood and Livesay

2. Three DEP officials for 29 minutes including Q&A:  CLICK HERE FOR MP3) (No slides)
* Nick Livesay, director  Land Division, 
* Gregg Wood director Water Quality Division and 
* Cindy Bertocci, executive analyst at the Board of     Environmental Protection.

Maine Marine Resource Commissioner gets legislative thumbs up to continue in job. AUDIO

At the urging of most of Maine's fishery and aquaculture interests, the Legislature's Marine Resources Committee gave current commissioner Pat Keliher  unanimous support for his continuation in the Mills Administration as Maine 's commissioner of Marine resources.  Listen below to his nomination statement and  a selection of the questions and praise Keliher received from  fishermen and aquaculturists (More to come)

Commissioner's Statement 6min

Rep Mick Devin, MR Committee member 5min47sec

Patrice McCarron Maine Lobstermen's Association 4min 12sec

Fiona DeKoning of  Hollander & de Köning 3min 18sec

Sebastian Bell, Maine Aquaculture Association, 2min

Maine Legislature 2018 - 1st wave of new marine fishery/marine environment bill proposals

Maine Marine Resources Committee. Bills coming before it  in 2018.

Three carry over bills from 2017  & 12 new "Legislative Requests" for 2018  that should turn into LD bills coming before Maine's Marine Resources Committee very soon.. 
Stay tuned for more Resolves. 

1. Carry Over Bills 
* LD 703 An Act To Address Marine Debris Resulting from Commercial Activities 
* LD 922. An Act Directing the Commissioner of Marine Resources To Investigate the Conditions of Sheepscot Pond Related to a Management Plan for Anadromous Fish Species
* LD 1519 An Act To Define the Intertidal Zone for the Management and Enforcement of Shellfish Conservation Ordinances 
DMR

2. Legislative Requests

ADMINISTRATIVE
LR: 2593 An Act To Correct Errors and Inconsistencies in Maine's Marine Resources Laws, Representative Kumiega of Deer Isle

SHRIMP
LR 2639 An Act To Authorize the Commissioner of Marine Resources To Limit the Number of Shrimp Licenses That May Be Used in Certain Seasons. Commissioner

VESSEL LAWS & VESSEL OPERATORS
LR: 2482 An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Use of Personal Flotation Devices in Boats
LR: 2602 An Act To Increase the Safety of Nonmotorized Watercraft in the Ocean by Requiring Lights When Visibility Is Impaired
LR: 2466 Resolve, To Establish a Task Force To Investigate the High Rate of Addiction among Persons Who Fish Commercially
LR 2554 An Act To Amend the Law Regarding the Temporary Medical Allowance for Lobster and Crab Fishing License Holders

ANADROMOUS FISH
LR: 2518 An Act To Impose a 3-year Moratorium on Allowing Anadromous Fish Species in Sheepscot Pond in Palermo and To Study the Consequences of Allowing Anadromous Fish Species To Enter Sheepscot Pond, Representative Zeigler of Montville

OCEAN ACIDIFICATION
LR: 2626 Resolve, To Join the International Alliance To Combat Ocean Acidification

METALLIC MINING POLLUTION
LR: 2779 An Act To Include the Natural Resources Protection Act in the Maine Metallic
Mineral Mining Act

LR: 2779 An Act To Include the Natural Resources Protection Act in the Maine Metallic Mineral Mining Act.Ralph Chapman

LR: 2781 An Act To Include the Site Location of Development Laws in the Maine Metallic Mineral Mining Act. Ralph Chapman
LR: 2785 An Act To Limit Eligibility for a Metallic Mineral Mining Permit Chapman

Marine resource bills coming before the Maine Legislature in 2017

The below list of fishery-related bills is as of 1/27/17  Additional bills will appear  they are finalized
Bill Topics:  lobsters, shellfish, marine ,worms , eels, smelt & rockweed


LOBSTERS
*  LD 14   An Act To Extend the Legal Hours for Harvesting Lobster
*  LD 68   An Act To Implement an Owner-Operator Requirement in the Scallop and Sea Urchin Fisheries
*  LD 113  An Act To Stabilize Lobster Bait Prices
*  LD 149  An Act To Provide Additional Management for Limited-entry Lobster Zones
*  LD 202.  An Act To Abolish Municipal Shellfish Ordinances
This bill eliminates the authority of a municipality to adopt a shellfish conservation program and ordinance


SHELLFISH

* LD 68,  An Act To Implement an Owner-Operator Requirement in the Scallop and Sea Urchin Fisheries
* LD 233  An Act To Establish a Statewide Scallop Harvesting Limit and Extend the Scallop Season

* LD 200    An Act To Allow Certain Municipal Shellfish Conservation Wardens To Seize and Sell Marine Organisms Taken in Violation of a Shellfish Conservation Ordinance

 
MARINE WORMS

.

* LD 115

An Act To Protect the Marine Worm Industry

EELS 

* LD 286,  An Act To Promote and Encourage the Sustainability of the Elver Fishery 

SMELTS

* LD 28 Resolve, Prohibiting the Commissioner of Marine Resources from Adopting or Enforcing Certain Rules Limiting the Quantity of Smelts a Person May Take from the Coastal Waters of the State until after Completion of a Study

ROCKWEED 

  * LD 199,  An Act To Implement Decibel Limits for Mechanical Rockweed Harvesters

 * LD 196   An Act To Protect Personal Information of Participants in a Community Well-being Check Program

 

.

..

ME legislature 3/11/15 hears testimony on LD 493 bill to establish the ocean acidification council AUDIO

Testimony on  LD 493  Bill to establish the ocean acidification council.

1. Representative  Mick Devin introduces LD 493  16minutes 

2. Senator Johnson cosponsor 6 min 15sec

3. Tim Haskell, Maine Water Environment Assoc 3min

4. Bill Richardson, Freeport Town selectman

5. Gretchen Noyes Hull  7min 12sec

6. Richard Nelson, Friendship lobsterman, OA Commission member. 7min 14sec

7. Jane Edwards 5min 34 sec

8. Anne Burt, ME Council of Churches 5min 14sec 

9. Jenn Gray, ME Audubon  2min

10. Ron Huber Friends of Penobscot Bay 7min 7 sec 

11. Nick Battista, Island Institute 4min 

12. Cathy Ramsdell, Friends of Casco Bay 6min 53sec

13. Sebastian Belle, ME Aquaculture Association 45 seconds

14 DMR Commissioner Pat Keliher opposes bill 5min 40sec

Maine Legislature's Marine Resources Committee - listen to the lobbyists introduce themselves

Maine Legislature's Marine Resources Committee's lobbyists
From the afternoon session of the February 10, 2015 meeting.

Introduction to the briefing 2min 45sec

Friends of ME Seabirds. Scott Hess 5min 44sec

Friends of Penobscot Bay Huber 11 min

Spinney Creek Shellfish. Laurie Howell 19min

Seaweed Man. Larch Hanson 20min

Me Seaweed Council Robert Morse & Q&A 38 min

Rockweed Coalition Robin Hadlock Seeley 20 min

Penobscot East Robin Alden 10min

Penobscot East Carla Gunther 4min

Downeast Lobstermen's Association Sheila Dassatt 12min 42

Fishermens Forum 2014. Searsport dredge issue taken up by Maine Legislators & DMR Commissioner. AUDIO

The latest word on the Searsport Harbor expansion dredging project,  as spoken by  the Senate Chair of the Maine Legislature's  Marine Resources Committee and by Pat Keliher,  Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner, at the Maine Fishermen's Forum Saturday March 1st 2014. 

The committee was holding  an "Ask us about what we've been doing / Tell us what we need to know."  event at the forum Saturday afternoon.  
In photo, Committee members from left: Representative Chuck Kruger, Rep. Ralph Chapman, Rep. Ellen Winchenbach, Senator Chris Johnson, Representative Walter Kumiega, Senator Ed Mazurek and Rep.Mick Devin

In these two short recordings culled from the lengthy event which was hosted by Maine DMR Deputy Commissioner Meredith Mendelson,   Senator Johnson responds to a statement and question by Friendship lobsterman Richard Nelson and  Commissioner Keliher responds to a statement by Ron Huber  of Friends of Penobscot Bay to the Legislators  about oversight of DMR's role in dredging.

Richard Nelson, lobsterman, Robin Hadlock-Seeley, rockweed biologist

Friendship lobsterman Richard Nelson   observed in detail how many  state, federal and NGO marine policy initiatives & programs are floating around in state & federal Gulf of Maine waters, how disconnected from each other they mostly are, and thus ineffective, when it comes to actual "ecosystem" management. Combine that with the mercury problem of the river and  the dredging in the bay, the floating wind plantationing of the lobster and tuna grounds, and things don't look all that good.

SenatorJohnson, Representative Kumiega, Senator Mazurek

Chris Johnson, the Marine Resources Committee's Senate chair responded  for three minutes and 20 seconds and used the Searsport dredging controversy as an example of what the legislators have done to try to meet these challenges including the crafting and sending of a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers in response to the concerns of the people

Ron Huber, executive director of Friends of Penobscot Bay observed that the Marine Resources Committee has oversight of DMR, and that DMR has a key role in decisionmaking on the Searsport dredge expansion plan. 

Representatives Kruger and Chapman

This being a big project, and Maine's longtime environmental reviewer no longer with the agency, and DMR being under tremendous pressure..... 

Would you please as oversight committee, I said, make sure DMR's guy is allowed to review the project without interference?

Commissioner Keliher was asked by the committee to respond to Huber's comments. He replied for 2 minutes 27 seconds. Keliher said he was well aware of the past and recent history of the project. The dredge ball is presently in Maine DEP's court, he said.  When they're reached a certain step, DEP will then ship the whole mass of info to DMR for inspection and review by Keliher's agency

In a long-hoped-for break with the past, Maine's present day commissioner says he has gotten the word from the fishing community that there are problems lurking in those Searsport harbor sediments.  DMR will definitely host a public hearing-with-an-H on the proposal, putting an end to a decades long insistence on holding "public meetings"  not "public hearings", Keliher said that it will be held in "Searsport or Bucksport depending on what type of facility is required."  [?]

Mercer: Speak no evil?

The DMR Commish said a scientific team was being assembled under agency research director Linda Mercer to review the project - a not entirely reassuring revelation, given both the flat horizon of DMR research accomplishments during her decades as research director ** and her acquiescence with the "jobs over nature", "keep-the-public-uninformed, out-of-the-loop, and-at-arms-length" standards so unpleasantly first championed by early1990s DMR Commissioner Robin Alden under Governor Angus King.

Overall? Very good news: Maine's marine agency and its state legislature are on the ball about this project with its bay-disrupting potential.

** Note:  Or if not flat, then they were "stealth" accomplishments. Mercer also seems aggravating offended by public access requests  to review agency documents, as though they are not only holy writ but so holy that profane eyes may not rest upon them except carefully limited  selected documents viewed in absentia from its fellow files.  Even the agency's most completely non confidential environmental  land permit review files are locked  with her approval as tight as that other Fort Knox, down south. This does not bode all that well for transparency among the dredge research team.