An Act To Control Costs to the Lobster Industry

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6431-B,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 201, §13, is further amended to read:

§ 6431-B. Tag system

The commissioner shall establish by rule a lobster trap tag system under which lobster and crab fishing license holders and nonresident lobster and crab landing permit holders must purchase tags for the purpose of identifying and tracking traps. The rules must contain provisions for replacing lost tags. The commissioner may impose a per-tag fee to cover the cost of trap tags, the costs of administering and enforcing a lobster trap tag system , the costs of management of the lobster fishery and the costs associated with lobster management policy councils and referenda pursuant to section 6447. Trap tag fees must be deposited in the Lobster Management Fund established under section 6431-C , and a separate accounting of trap tag fees must be presented to and approved by the Lobster Advisory Council.

SUMMARY

This bill limits how the Commissioner of Marine Resources may spend trap tag fees. The bill requires the commissioner to provide a separate accounting of trap tag fees to the Lobster Advisory Council.