Bill > LD553

This bill asserts Maine's state sovereignty over ocean waters extending 12 nautical miles off its coastline, making significant changes to existing maritime jurisdiction laws. Specifically, the legislation declares that the state owns and can exercise control over all waters within the rise and fall of the tide up to 12 nautical miles offshore, which is a reduction from the previous 200-mile claim. The bill reduces the state's previously broader maritime control and focuses on a more limited territorial zone. In response to recent decisions by the National Marine Fisheries Service that are expected to restrict herring catch limits in the Gulf of Maine, the bill requires the Office of the Attorney General to take actions to protect the state's maritime interests, including potential negotiations with federal departments and possible litigation. The Attorney General must submit a progress report to the Marine Resources Committee by May 1, 2025, detailing the steps taken to assert state sovereignty. The bill is classified as an emergency measure, meaning it will take effect immediately upon approval, and is motivated by concerns about potential devastating consequences for Maine's commercial fishing and lobstering industries, particularly regarding herring availability as a critical bait source.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=553&snum=132