Bill > LD851

This bill establishes a new Senior Retiree Lobster and Crab Fishing License specifically designed for older, long-time residents of Maine with a history in commercial fishing. To be eligible, an individual must be 65 years or older, have been a Maine resident for at least 10 years, and have previously held a commercial lobster and crab fishing license for 3 or more consecutive years. The license, which costs $60, allows the holder to fish for, take, possess, and sell lobsters and crabs with some specific restrictions: they can only submerge up to 100 lobster traps, cannot set traps before May 1st, and must remove all traps by December 1st. The bill amends existing Maine state law to add this new license type to the existing categories of lobster and crab fishing licenses, such as Class I, Class II, and Class III, and ensures that license holders must declare which lobster management zones they intend to fish in. This legislation appears aimed at providing a tailored fishing opportunity for senior residents with a long-standing connection to Maine's fishing industry.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=851&snum=132