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within the jurisdiction of the State of intersection with the | 3-nautical-mile line; and |
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| B. Beginning at a point 40 miles true north from the | lighthouse at Robinson's Point, Isle au Haut, Knox County; | thence true south through the lighthouse to a point where | the line intersects the southeasterly boundary of the | coastal waters within the jurisdiction of the State of | intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line; and |
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| | 3. Off Hancock County. Within the following radio direction- | finder LORAN C bearings: Beginning at Schoodic Point, Hancock | County; thence running a True compass course of 159` for | approximately 16 miles to LORAN C bearing of 9960-W-12349.0 and | 9960-X-25693.0 latitude 4404.33' north and longitude 06754.64' | west; thence running along a True compass course of 234` 236 for | approximately 11.4 miles, to and through Mt. Desert Rock to LORAN | C bearing of 9960-W-12456.0 and 9960-X-25695.0 latitude 4357.87' | north and longitude 06808.2' west; thence running in a True | compass course of 336` for approximately 4.2 miles to LORAN C | bearing of 9960-W-12440.0 and 9960-X-25718.0 latitude 4401.65' | north and longitude 06810.55' west; thence running in a westerly | direction to a point where that line intersects with the line | described in subsection 2, paragraph B, if it is extended to that | line. |
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| | Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6439-A, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 152, §2, is | amended to read: |
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| §6439-A. Limited lobster fishing in the vicinity of |
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| | It shall be is unlawful to have on a trawl more than 10 | lobster traps on one warp and buoy in the coastal waters | southerly of a line running between the Kitts Rocks Whistle Buoy | and the West Sister Buoy and extending westerly to the New | Hampshire border, and from the West Sister Buoy to the Murray | Rock Buoy and thence to and through the lighthouse on Boone | Island and, continuing in a straight line, to the boundary of the | coastal waters within the jurisdiction of this State point of | intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line. Each trawl set in | this area shall must be marked with at least one buoy with a buoy | stick of at least 4 feet in length. |
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| | Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §6471, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 574, §4, is | amended to read: |
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| §6471. Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area |
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| | 1. Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area. The following coastal | territorial waters of the State in the vicinity of Monhegan | Island are known as the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area: |
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| Beginning at a point located on Loran line 9960-25850 at | latitude 4344.09' north and longitude 06922.16' west that | is 2 nautical miles southwesterly of the nearest shore of | Monhegan Island; then following Loran line 9960-25850 in a | southwesterly direction to the point where it intersects the | 3-mile territorial sea latitude 4344.28' north and | longitude 06923.37' west at a point on the 3-nautical-mile | line; then following the territorial sea 3-nautical-mile | line around the southern end of Monhegan Island to the point | where it intersects Loran line 9960-12889 latitude 4344.94' | north and longitude 06914.26' west; then following Loran | line 9960-12889 in a somewhat northerly direction to the | point where it intersects latitude 4345.8' north and | longitude 06915.3' west, to a point that is 2 nautical | miles from the nearest shore of Monhegan Island; then | following a line that is 2 nautical miles from the nearest | shore of Monhegan Island and that continues around the | northern end of Monhegan Island to the point of beginning. |
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| | Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §6501, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1999, c. 491, §4, is | further amended to read: |
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| | 6. Definition. For the purposes of this chapter, "fish" means | all marine finfish and squid or other marine animals organisms, | except lobsters, crabs, sea urchins, shellfish, scallops, marine | worms, elvers, eels or, shrimp or seaweed. |
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| | Sec. 7. 12 MRSA §6523, as amended by PL 1999, c. 771, Pt. B, §5 and | affected by Pt. D, §§1 and 2, is further amended to read: |
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| §6523. Marking ice fishing shacks |
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| | A person may not place any shack or temporary structure used | for ice fishing on the frozen coastal territorial waters or use | the shack or structure, unless the owner's name and address are | painted or otherwise clearly marked on the outside with 2-inch | letters. A person who violates this section commits a civil | violation for which a forfeiture of not less than $100 and not | more than $500 may be adjudged. |
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| | Sec. 8. 12 MRSA §6555, as amended by PL 1989, c. 788, §2, is | further amended to read: |
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| §6555. Striped bass; method of taking |
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| | It is unlawful to fish for or take striped bass in the waters | of the State, except by hook and line. |
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| | Sec. 9. 12 MRSA §6556, as amended by PL 1989, c. 788, §3, is | further amended to read: |
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| §6556. Striped bass; limits; personal use |
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| | It is unlawful for any person to fish for or take |
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| striped bass in the waters of the State, except for personal use. |
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| | Sec. 10. 12 MRSA §6571, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1977, c. 661, §5, is | amended to read: |
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| | Within the coastal territorial waters of adjacent to | Washington County: |
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| | Sec. 11. 12 MRSA §6572, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 92, §1, is | amended to read: |
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| | 1. Spawning areas for certain species. By January 1, 1998, | the commissioner shall by rule identify the location of all | coastal all locations of the territorial waters that serve as | spawning areas for cod, haddock or yellowtail flounder and the | dates during which those spawning activities occur in each area. | In determining the coastal spawning areas for cod, haddock and | yellowtail flounder, the commissioner shall solicit information | on the State's historic coastal groundfish spawning areas from | persons who participate in, or are otherwise knowledgeable about, | commercial and recreational coastal marine fisheries. Rules | adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules | pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A. |
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| | Sec. 12. 12 MRSA §6575-E, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §9, | is amended to read: |
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| §6575-E. Method of eel fishing |
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| | Except as provided in section 6505-C, subsection 2, it is | unlawful for a person licensed under section 6505-C to fish for | or take eels in the coastal waters of the State by any method | other than eel pot or hoop net. |
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| | Sec. 13. 12 MRSA §6722, as amended by PL 1999, c. 94, §1, is | further amended to read: |
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| | Unless modified by regulation adopted under section 6171-A, it | is unlawful to fish for or take scallops in the coastal | territorial waters from April 16th to November 30th, both days | inclusive. |
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| | Sec. 14. 12 MRSA §6726, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1999, c. 94, §2, is | further amended to read: |
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| | 1. Minimum size. It is unlawful to utilize a drag to fish | for or take scallops in the coastal territorial waters with rings | that measure less than: |
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| B. From December 1, 1999 to April 15, 2000, 3 1/4 inches in | diameter; and |
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| C. On December 1, 2000 and thereafter, 3 1/2 inches in | diameter. |
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| | Sec. 15. 12 MRSA §6727, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1999, c. 94, §4, is | further amended to read: |
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| | 2. Open season. It is unlawful for a person to possess on | any vessel fishing for scallops in the coastal territorial | waters, or to utilize when fishing for or taking scallops in the | coastal territorial waters, a drag or any combination of drags | that measures in excess of 10 feet, 6 inches across from one | extreme outside edge of the mouth of the drag or combination of | drags to the opposite extreme outside edge. |
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| | Sec. 16. 12 MRSA §6954-C, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 281, §3, | is amended to read: |
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| | 1. Gear requirements. It is unlawful to fish in the coastal | territorial waters northerly and inshore of the international | bridge that connects Lubec to Campobello Island, New Brunswick, | Canada with any drag or combination of drags: |
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| A. That measures in excess of 5 feet, 6 inches in width | measuring from one extreme outside edge of the mouth of the | drag or combination of drags to the opposite extreme outside | edge; and |
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| B. If used for the taking of scallops, that is greater than | 8 rings deep. |
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| | Sec. 17. 12 MRSA §6959, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 576, §1, is | amended to read: |
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| §6959. Dragging in the Taunton River area |
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| | It is unlawful for a person to fish with any drag or | combination of drags in the coastal territorial waters westerly | and northerly of the Route 1 bridge that connects the towns of | Hancock and Sullivan in Hancock County, including Egypt Bay, | Taunton Bay and Hog Bay. This section is repealed March 1, 2005. |
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| | This bill makes several technical changes to the marine | resources laws. |
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| | 1. It clarifies that the term "coastal waters" means marine | waters out to the seaward extent of the exclusive economic zone | and provides that the term "territorial waters" means marine | waters only out to the 3-nautical-mile line described on United | States Government nautical charts. |
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| | 2. It corrects the descriptions of limitations on lobster | fishing areas in the Kittery, Pemaquid and Hancock County areas. |
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| | 3. It corrects the description of the Monhegan Lobster | Conservation Area. |
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| | 4. It clarifies that fishing for seaweed is not subject to | the commercial fishing license. |
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| | 5. It clarifies that marking requirements for ice fishing | shacks apply only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 6. It removes a reference to waters of the State with regard | to the limitations on how striped bass are caught and with regard | to personal use of striped bass. |
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| | 7. It clarifies that limitations on the use of trawls in | Washington County apply only to the territorial waters adjacent | to Washington County. |
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| | 8. It clarifies that the requirement to identify spawning | areas for groundfish applies only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 9. It clarifies that limitations on the taking of eels apply | only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 10. It clarifies that limitations on the taking of scallops | apply only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 11. It clarifies that requirements for specific ring sizes | for scallop drags apply only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 12. It clarifies that drag size limits for scallop drags | apply only in the territorial waters. |
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| | 13. It clarifies that the limitations on fishing in Cobscook | Bay apply only to the territorial waters. |
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| | 14. It clarifies that limitations on dragging in Taunton Bay | apply only in the territorial waters. |
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