Title 12, §6448: Limited-entry zones

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A. "Declared lobster zone" means the zone identified on a lobster and crab fishing license pursuant to section 6446, subsection 1-A. [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

B. "Limited-entry zone" means a lobster management zone established pursuant to section 6446 for which rules establishing limits on new zone entrants have been adopted pursuant to subsection 2. [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

C. "New zone entrant" means a person who declares a limited-entry zone as that person's declared lobster zone but who did not hold in the previous licensing year a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license that identified that zone as the person's declared lobster zone. [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

[ 1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW) .]

2. Rules for limited-entry zones. The commissioner may adopt rules establishing limits on new zone entrants to a lobster management zone. These rules must be adopted in accordance with this subsection.

A. After conducting a written survey in the zone, a lobster management policy council may propose to the commissioner an exit ratio to limit new zone entrants to the zone. The lobster management policy council is not required to submit the proposal to referendum and the proposed exit ratio does not need to receive approval through the survey in order to be forwarded to the commissioner. [2005, c. 239, §4 (AMD).]

B. The commissioner may initiate rulemaking under this subsection only upon receipt of a proposal under paragraph A. The commissioner shall hold a public hearing on the proposed rules pursuant to Title 5, section 8052. The public hearing must be held in the zone in which the rules would apply and the results of the written survey must be entered into the record. [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

C. In accordance with subsection 7, the commissioner shall adopt rules that establish an exit ratio between the number of trap tags retired by individuals who declared that zone as their declared lobster zone in the year prior to the previous calendar year, but who did not declare that zone as their declared lobster zone in the previous calendar year, and the number of trap tags issued to new zone entrants authorized under subsection 7. An exit ratio established by rule under this subsection is not required to be the same as the exit ratio proposed by the lobster management policy council. [2007, c. 204, §4 (AMD).]

D. Upon written notification from the lobster management policy council that a majority of the council has voted to conduct a survey in a zone regarding a proposal for an exit ratio to limit new zone entrants to the zone, the commissioner shall close the zone to new zone entrants until the commissioner either adopts rules under this subsection or declares that the commissioner will not initiate rulemaking under this subsection. In no event may the zone remain closed for longer than one year unless the commissioner has adopted rules establishing limits on new zone entrants to the zone. This paragraph does not apply to surveys conducted in accordance with subsection 10. [2007, c. 204, §5 (AMD).]

E. When a lobster management policy council proposes to the commissioner a change in the exit ratio established under paragraph C and a new exit ratio is adopted by rule under this subsection, the commissioner shall allow individuals who meet the following conditions to enter the zone in accordance with the previously existing exit ratio:

(1) The individual has completed the requirements of the apprenticeship program established under section 6422 by the date the commissioner receives written notification from the lobster management policy council that a majority of the council has voted to conduct a survey pursuant to paragraph D; and

(2) The individual's name is listed on the waiting list maintained under subsection 6 by the date the commissioner receives written notification from the lobster management policy council that a majority of the council has voted to conduct a survey pursuant to paragraph D.

This paragraph does not apply when an exit ratio based on the number of trap tags retired is adopted, in accordance with paragraph C, for the first time in a lobster management zone. [2007, c. 204, §6 (AMD).]

F. When a lobster management policy council proposes to the commissioner to establish an exit ratio for the first time to limit new zone entrants under paragraph A, it may also propose to the commissioner a provision to exempt from the exit ratio, upon completion of the apprentice program, an individual who has completed at least 92% of the hours required and at least 92% of the days required by the apprentice program established under section 6422 by the date the commissioner receives written notification from the lobster management policy council pursuant to paragraph D. [2005, c. 239, §11 (AFF); 2005, c. 239, §4 (NEW).]

[ 2007, c. 204, §§4-6 (AMD) .]

3. Fishing in limited-entry zones. A person who holds a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license may not fish a majority of that person's lobster traps in a limited-entry zone unless that person's license identifies that zone as the declared lobster zone.

[ 1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW) .]

4. Limited-entry zone as declared lobster zone. A person may not be issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license that identifies a limited-entry zone as the declared lobster zone unless that person:

A. Held in the previous licensing year a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license that identified that zone as the person's declared lobster zone; or [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

B. Is authorized as a new zone entrant by the commissioner pursuant to subsection 7 to declare that zone as the person's declared lobster zone. [1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW).]

[ 1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW) .]

5. Application for limited-entry zone. A person who wishes to be a new zone entrant shall indicate to the commissioner in writing a request to declare a limited-entry zone as the person's declared lobster zone, in accordance with this subsection. A person may indicate up to 2 limited-entry zones that the person requests to declare as the person's declared lobster zone. The commissioner shall stamp each request with the time and date of submission. A person may not be authorized as a new zone entrant unless that person made a request under this subsection no later than December 15th of the previous calendar year.

A. A person who held a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous licensing year and wishes to be a new zone entrant shall indicate to the commissioner in writing a request to declare a limited-entry zone as the person's declared lobster zone. The person must be put on a waiting list maintained under subsection 6 according to the time and date the commissioner receives the request. [1999, c. 693, §2 (NEW).]

B. A person who did not hold a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous licensing year and wishes to be a new zone entrant shall indicate to the commissioner in writing which zone the person requests to declare as the person's declared lobster zone. The person must be put on a waiting list maintained under subsection 6 according to the date the commissioner determines that the person is eligible for a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license pursuant to section 6421, subsection 5, except that if the person does not indicate to the commissioner in writing which zone the person requests to declare as the person's declared lobster zone within 30 days of the date the commissioner determines that the person is eligible, the person must be put on the waiting list according to the time and date the commissioner receives such a written request. [1999, c. 693, §2 (NEW).]

[ 1999, c. 693, §2 (AMD) .]

6. Chronological waiting list. The commissioner shall maintain and make available a waiting list of people who have requested to declare a limited-entry zone as their declared lobster zone. The list must be arranged in chronological order in accordance with subsection 5. The commissioner shall create a waiting list for a zone at the time the commissioner closes the zone pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph D.

[ 1999, c. 693, §2 (AMD) .]

7. Authorization of new zone entrants. The commissioner shall determine by February 1st of each licensing year the number of new zone entrants that may be authorized for each limited-entry zone. The number of new zone entrants authorized in a licensing year must be in accordance with the exit ratio established under subsection 2 for that zone. Upon completion of the survey required under subsection 10, the commissioner may adopt rules in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph C. Upon adoption of these rules, the exit ratio must be used to establish the number of trap tags that may be issued to new zone entrants. The number of new zone entrants must be determined by dividing the number of trap tags that may be issued to new zone entrants by the zone trap limit as described under section 6431-A. The number of new zone entrants must be rounded down to the nearest whole number and the remaining trap tags carried over to the following year’s allocation. The commissioner shall authorize new zone entrants in chronological order of requests received under subsection 5. The commissioner shall notify the authorized new zone entrants by certified mail. If a person does not declare a zone within 30 days after receiving the notification by certified mail, that person must be taken off the waiting list and the next person on the list must be authorized as a new zone entrant. If a person has indicated a request for more than one zone pursuant to subsection 5, that person must be taken off the waiting list for the 2nd zone when the person declares one of the zones as that person's declared lobster zone after being authorized to do so. If a person who holds a current Class I, Class II or Class III license is authorized as a new zone entrant and declares the zone as that person's declared lobster zone, the commissioner shall change the zone identified on that person's license to the limited-entry zone for which the person is authorized.

[ 2007, c. 204, §7 (AMD) .]

8. Exceptions. Notwithstanding subsection 4, the following persons may be issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license that identifies a limited-entry zone as the declared lobster zone without meeting the requirements in subsection 4.

A. A person who is under 18 years of age who successfully completed the requirements of the apprentice program under section 6422 and who submitted documentation of completion of the apprentice program to the department before attaining 18 years of age may declare any zone as that person's declared lobster zone as long as the individual has met all apprentice program rules that may have been adopted in that zone. [2011, c. 486, §3 (AMD).]

A-1. [2007, c. 615, §11 (RP).]

B. A person who is issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license on appeal pursuant to section 6310, subsection 2, paragraph A, subparagraph (1) or (2) may declare as that person's declared lobster zone the zone in which the person was authorized to fish a majority of that person's lobster traps in the most recent year in which the person held a license. [1999, c. 643, §7 (NEW).]

C. A person who is issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license pursuant to section 6421, subsection 5, paragraph D may declare as that person's declared lobster zone the zone in which the person was authorized to fish a majority of that person's lobster traps in the most recent year in which the person held a license. [1999, c. 643, §7 (NEW).]

D. A person who is issued a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license and is 70 years of age or older may declare any zone as that person’s declared lobster zone. [2007, c. 204, §8 (NEW).]

E. A person who has either successfully completed the requirements of the apprentice program under section 6422 or held a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous calendar year and who has registered to enter an established island limited-entry program as described under section 6449 may declare as that person's declared lobster zone the zone in which that island limited-entry program is located when the person becomes eligible to enter the island limited-entry program. [2011, c. 486, §4 (AMD).]

The trap tags issued to a person who declares a limited-entry zone as that person's declared lobster zone pursuant to this subsection may not be counted for the purposes of the exit ratio or the number of new zone entrants that may be authorized for that zone.

[ 2011, c. 486, §§3, 4 (AMD) .]

9. Rules. The commissioner may establish by rule procedures to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.

[ 1999, c. 508, §3 (NEW) .]

10. Survey required. A lobster management policy council in a limited-entry zone as of September 1, 2007 must conduct a written survey in its zone pursuant to subsection 2 prior to September 1, 2008 in order to allow the council to recommend to the commissioner an exit ratio based on trap tags. Failure of a lobster management-policy council in a limited-entry zone to conduct this survey and submit its recommendation to the commissioner by September 15, 2008 will result in the commissioner's adopting an exit-to-entry ratio of trap tags retired to trap tags issued of 1:1 for that zone until such a survey is conducted.

[ 2007, c. 204, §9 (NEW) .]

Maine Revised Statutes

§6448. Limited-entry zones

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