A. Upon written certification by the Attorney General under paragraph B, the minimum lobster size increases as follows:

(1) On March 1st of the year after the year in which the Attorney General issues the certification, the minimum size is 3 9/32 inches; and

(2) On March 1st of the following year, the minimum size is 3 10/32 inches.

B. The Attorney General shall notify the Governor and the Legislature in writing immediately upon certifying that the following conditions have been met:

(1) The United States Secretary of Commerce has amended the Lobster Fisheries Management Measures, as set forth in 50 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 649, Subpart B, so that the minimum federal legal lobster size and schedule of increases in the federal minimum lobster size conform to those established in this subsection; and

(2) The minimum lobster size and schedule of increases in the minimum lobster size in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island conform to those established in this subsection.

A schedule of increases adopted by the Secretary of Commerce or a state conforms to this subsection if the increases are scheduled to occur within 90 days of the increases implemented under paragraph A.

After the Attorney General certifies that the conditions of this paragraph have been met, but prior to the effective date of any increase in the minimum size under this subsection, the Commissioner of Marine Resources shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resource matters on the biological and economic effects of the scheduled increase in the minimum lobster size on the lobster fishery and the Maine lobster industry. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resource matters shall hold a public hearing on the commissioner's report during the legislative session and prior to the effective date of any increase in the minimum lobster size.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6431, sub-§1-A is enacted to read: