Maine Wants Permission to Try New Gear and More Traps
Published Date: 10/21/2026
Notice
Summary
The Maine Department of Marine Resources wants special permission to try new fishing gear and use more traps than usual. This could help fishermen catch fish in ways current rules don’t allow. People have until November 5, 2026, to share their thoughts before a final decision is made.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Temporary Allowance of 3 Extra Traps Per Vessel
For the duration of the proposed project (January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027), participating federally permitted Maine lobster vessels may be allowed to carry 3 additional traps per vessel, resulting in up to 60 modified traps in total across up to 20 vessels. The request would exempt the vessels from the trap limit in 50 CFR Sec. 697.19(a)-(e).
Permission to Use Untagged Modified Traps
The EFP application requests an exemption from trap tag requirements (Sec. 697.19(j)) to allow the use of modified traps without standard federal tags, although each modified trap would have the participating fisherman's identification attached. This change would apply only to the modified traps used in the project.
Allowed Gear Modifications for Ventless Traps
The application requests an exemption to gear specifications (50 CFR 697.21(c)) to allow closed escape vents and smaller trap mesh and entrance heads for the modified ventless traps. The modified trap dimensions and construction are specified in the application (e.g., 40-inch length x 21-inch width x 14-inch height; 1-inch square rubber-coated wire).
Onboard Sampling of Protected Lobster and Crab Classes
The EFP would exempt participants from certain possession restrictions (Secs. 697.20(a), 697.20(d), 697.20(g), 697.20(h)(1) and (2)) to allow onboard biological sampling of undersized, v-notched, and egg-bearing American lobsters and undersized and egg-bearing Jonah crabs. The application states that all specimens from modified gear would be returned to the ocean after sampling.
Limited Research Participation and Timeline
If approved, the project would run from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2027 in Gulf of Maine Statistical Areas 511, 512, and 513, involve up to 20 federally permitted Maine lobster vessels, allow up to 36 trips per vessel (up to 720 total trips), and include trip durations up to 3 days and up to 108 days per vessel. The program is described as year 4 of an ongoing study to collect juvenile lobster and Jonah crab data.
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Key Dates
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