Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7035, sub-§1, ķA, as amended by PL 1985, c. 369, §3, is further amended to read:

A. Fishing rules as set forth in the 1986 Open Water Fishing Regulations folder and the 1986 Ice Fishing Regulations folder, as printed and distributed to the public, are declared to be official consolidations of fishing rules. Each subsequent biennial revision of these publications shall, upon filing with the Secretary of State, constitute constitutes an official consolidation as printed.

(1)__Rules adopted under this paragraph may not establish any special regulations for the Big Machias River in Aroostook County from its confluence with the South Branch of the Machias River in T10R7 WELS downstream to the Aroostook River in Ashland.__This subparagraph is repealed on September 1, 2004.

Sec. 2. Applicable existing rules repealed. Any special regulations in the 1998-99 open water fishing regulations or subsequent biennial revisions of those regulations adopted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife that are in conflict with Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 7035, subsection 1, paragraph A are repealed.

SUMMARY

Current fishing laws establish general open water fishing seasons and general standards for such things as minimum lengths and bag limits for certain types of fish. Those general laws apply to all inland waters unless special regulations are adopted by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

This bill repeals the special fishing regulations currently in effect on a segment of the Big Machias River in Aroostook County. This leaves those waters subject only to the seasons and limits established in general law. The bill also prohibits the department from adopting new special regulations for that segment of river for a period of 5 years.