Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6810-A is enacted to read:

§6810-A.__Marine harvesting demonstration license

1.__License required.__A person may not engage in an activity authorized under this section without a current marine harvesting demonstration license.

2.__Licensed activities.__The holder of a marine harvesting demonstration license may engage in limited fishing activities for the purpose of providing an educational demonstration of marine harvesting techniques or of the marine ecology of the Gulf of Maine as part of a commercial operation.

3.__License limitations.__The holder of a marine harvesting demonstration license may not sell, retain, ship or transport any portion of the catch and shall release all organisms alive into the area from which the organisms were harvested.

4.__Gear limitations.__The commissioner shall adopt rules specifying the types and amount of gear that may be used under a marine harvesting demonstration license.__The number of lobster traps fished from a vessel may not exceed 20 traps, regardless of the number of marine harvesting demonstration license holders fishing from that vessel.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

5.__Boat declaration.__ The license holder shall declare the name of the vessel to be used for fishing under the marine harvesting demonstration license at the time of application for the license and may not change that vessel during the license year unless the original vessel is sold and replaced, has been damaged and will be under repair for not less than one month or has been destroyed or lost.

6.__Eligibility.__A marine harvesting demonstration license may be issued only to an individual who has:

A.__Successfully completed a lobster and crab fishing written examination as provided in section 6423.

Once a person successfully completes a lobster and crab fishing written examination, that person need not repeat the examination to renew the marine harvesting demonstration license; or