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

Elver fisheries reform: mtgs Nov 18 & 19 draft rule: catchers & buyers to use state-issued swipe card for all sales.

Elvers blocked by dam. Some will make it over.

Proposed new elver fishery rules are the topic at DMR meetings on November 18, 2013, 6:00 PM, in Yarmouth, and November 19th, 6:00 PM, Ellsworth. Deadline for comments: December 2, 2013.

 Proposed rules online (pdf) **  DMR Rulemaking page  See copy of draft elver fish rules below, with boldfacing and paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.  

If adopted, (1) elver harvesters & dealers must use a swipe card reporting system supplied by DMR. (2) Dealers must electronically report quantities to DMR weekly.  (3) DMR's authority to suspend dealer licenses would be clarified,  (4) DMR would establish closed areas for elver fishing  in Penobscot and Hancock Counties. (5) Rules would be harmonized with the ASMFCs  Addendum III of the interstate eel fishery mgmt plan for glass,

yellow, and silver) and recreational eel fisheries.

Email dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov attn Kevin Rousseau   
Contacts: Heidi Bray (207) 633-9504 (for Elver Swipe Card System); Terry Stockwell (207) 624-6553 (for ASMFC Eel Compliance)
Details: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rulemaking/

NOTICE OF AGENCY RULE-MAKING PROPOSAL
AGENCY: Department of Marine Resources
RULE TITLE OR SUBJECT: Elver Reporting Requirements and Swipe Card System; ASMFC  Eel Compliance Measures. Chapter 8 Landings Program and Chapter 32 Eels.
DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS: December 2, 2013
To ensure consideration, comments must include your name and the organization you represent, if any. Please be aware that any risk of non-delivery associated with submissions by fax or e-mail is on the sender.
 AGENCY CONTACT PERSONS: Heidi Bray (207) 633-9504 (for Elver Swipe Card System); Terry Stockwell (207) 624-6553 (for ASMFC Eel Compliance)

Mail Written Comments to: attn: K. Rousseau
AGENCY NAME: Department of Marine Resources
ADDRESS: 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333
WEB SITE: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rulemaking/
 E-MAIL: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov
TELEPHONE: (207) 624-6573  FAX: (207) 624-6024

CONCISE SUMMARY: 
The proposed regulation would enact a swipe card reporting system for elver dealers and require dealers to maintain records of all elver transactions. The purpose of this portion of the proposed rule is to obtain more accurate and timely information on the amount of elvers caught or landed in Maine for use in fisheries management as well as to demonstrate the social and economic importance of marine resources to Maine. The swipe card system is also a more secure system in which harvesters and dealers cannot easily conduct transactions to sell or purchase illegal elvers.

The proposed rule would require elver harvester license holders to present a swipe card to be used by the dealer in order to record each transaction. It would also require dealers to report what they receive from harvesters on a weekly basis during the elver harvesting season using approved electronic reporting methods. Dealers will be required to provide their own computers for reporting (laptops or PC’s), but the reporting software and the swipe card readers/receipt printers will be provided by DMR. In addition, this rule would require elver dealers to maintain paper records for all elver transactions, including dealer-to-dealer transactions, for three years.

Emergency rulemaking was enacted earlier in 2013 that required elver dealers to report quantities on a weekly basis. Previously, elver dealer license holders were required to report information to DMR on a monthly basis. Weekly electronic reporting of elver landings will give the DMR timely and critical information for enforcement and resource protection of this valuable fishery. Finally, this rule would also update the reporting compliance section with license suspension authority that was enacted in state law as well as update the primary buyer permit language.

This regulation also makes amendments in order to come into compliance with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s (ASMFC) American Eel Management Board August 2013 approval of Addendum III to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Eel. The State of Maine is mandated to implement and enforce fisheries management plans of the ASMFC under the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act of 1993 (ACFCMA). These changes are reflected in this proposed new version of Chapter 32 Eels.

Addendum III establishes a 9” minimum size limit for recreational and commercial yellow eel fisheries, trip-level reporting for the commercial yellow eel fishery, a seasonal closure of silver eel fisheries, a 25 recreational fish per day creel limit, and measures to restrict the development of fisheries on pigmented eels. It also calls for the implementation of state-specific monitoring
programs and provides recommendations for habitat improvements. States will be required to implement the Addendum’s measures by January 1, 2014. The Board’s actions respond to the findings of the 2012 benchmark stock assessment indicating the American eel population in U.S. waters is depleted. The stock has declined in recent decades and the prevalence of significant downward trends in multiple surveys across the coast is cause for concern. Many of these changes required by ASMFC are already implied in existing Maine law and regulations and therefore do not need to be changed. In some cases, Maine law and regulations are stronger than the new ASMFC compliance requirements.

A re-ordering and deletion of obsolete or redundant sections of Chapter 32 Eels are proposed in order to improve readability and compliance. Finally, closed areas for elver fishing are proposed to be added in Penobscot and Hancock County in order to clarify legal fishing boundaries in Chapter 32.03(1)(A). Little or no impact on legal elver harvesting is expected from these new area closures.

End of proposed Rule