Title 12, Title 12

1. Minimum and maximum length. Except as provided in subsections 1‑A and 1‑B, a person may not buy, sell, give away, transport, ship or possess any lobster that is less than 3 1/4 inches or more than 5 inches in length, as determined by the lobster measure certified in accordance…

1. Limit. Before March 1, 2000, the holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license issued under section 6421 may not submerge more than 1,000 traps. After February 29, 2000, the holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III license or a nonresident lobster and crab landing permi…

1. Tag system established. 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 rul…

1. Lobster Management Fund. The Lobster Management Fund is established as a dedicated nonlapsing fund. The fund is administered by the department. 2. Purpose. All money credited to the Lobster Management Fund must be used to cover the costs of trap tags and the administration and…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. "Family member" means a spouse, sibling, child's spouse, parent by blood, parent by adoption, spouse's parent, child by blood, child by adoption, s…

1. Trap tag limits. The following provisions govern trap tag limits. A. [PL 2005, c. 239, §2 (RP).] B. Each year, a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license holder may purchase a number of trap tags that is not greater than 100 more than the number the lice…

1. Limitation. Except as provided in subsection 2, the holder of a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license may not operate a vessel for the purposes of fishing for or taking lobster other than the vessel named on the holder's lobster and crab fishing licen…

1. Conventional traps. A person may not fish for or take lobster by any method other than conventional lobster traps, as defined in rule, or from any platform other than a vessel. A vessel does not include a dock. 2. Marking. A lobster or crab trap or trawl must be marked by a lo…

1. Offal prohibited. A person may not use offal as bait to fish for or take lobster or crabs. A person may not sell offal for use as bait to fish for or take lobster or crabs. For the purposes of this section, "offal" means the carcass, waste parts, renderings or remains of a wil…

1. Vent required. It is unlawful to fish for or to take lobsters unless the lobster trap is equipped with unobstructed vents or gaps in the parlor section as follows: A. A rectangular or oblong escape vent not less than 1 3/4 inches (44.5 mm.) by 5.75 inches (146 mm.) located nex…

Beginning January 1, 1990, all lobster traps must be equipped with a biodegradable ghost panel. A "ghost panel" is an escape panel which is designed to release lobsters from traps which are lost while fishing. The commissioner shall, by rule, provide for implementation of this re…

1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the term "runner" means a device on the bottom of a lobster trap that prevents damage to lobster claws and allows the trap to be pulled smoothly out of the water. 2. Device to prevent damage to lobst…

A person may not raise, lift, transfer, possess or in any manner molest any lobster trap, warp, buoy or car except as provided in this section. [PL 2003, c. 520, §5 (AMD).] 1. Permitted activities. Lobster traps, warps, buoys and cars may be raised, lifted, transferred, possessed…

It shall be unlawful to set any lobster trap within 300 feet of the mouth of any fish weir when the weir owner or operator is licensed under section 6501 and when the weir is licensed under Title 38, chapter 9.

1. Egg-bearing and v-notched lobsters. A person may not take, transport, sell or possess: A. Any lobster that is bearing eggs; or [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. F, §9 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).] B. Any female lobster marked with a v-notch in the right flipper next to the mid…

1. Prohibition. It is unlawful to remove extruded eggs from any female lobster or to take, buy, sell, possess, transport or ship any female lobster from which extruded eggs have been removed by any means other than natural hatching. 2. Penalty. A violation of this section is a Cl…

It is unlawful to raise or haul any lobster trap: [PL 2001, c. 123, §1 (AMD).] 1. Summer. During the period 1/2 hour after sunset until 1/2 hour before sunrise from June 1st to August 31st, both days inclusive, and during the period 1/2 hour after sunset until 4 a.m. from Septemb…

The commissioner, in accordance with section 6191, may adopt rules prohibiting the possession of plugged lobsters, as long as the commissioner has determined that these rules will not adversely affect lobster importation.

The commissioner may impose a reasonable fee not to exceed 50¢ per tag, for the issuance of lobster trap identification tags in those areas of the State included in the Swan's Island Trap Limit Program. [PL 1989, c. 643 (AMD).] The fees collected must be paid to the department. T…

Beginning January 1, 1990, any trap or other container used for storing lobsters beneath the surface of the coastal waters must be clearly marked with the wholesale seafood license number or the fishing license number of the person storing the lobsters. Any trap or other containe…

No person may dip, soak or treat lobster or crab traps, warps or cars prior to use in waters of the State other than in a solution of salt and sea water except as provided in this section. [PL 1989, c. 878, Pt. A, §33 (NEW).] The commissioner may authorize a specified amount of d…

The commissioner shall adopt rules requiring any person holding a lobster and crab fishing license to maintain a logbook. The rules must indicate the type of data that must be recorded in the logbook, the manner for producing the logbooks and the method for analyzing data from th…

1. Sale prohibited; exception. An unlicensed crew member engaged by a holder of a Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license may not sell lobsters or crabs unless the unlicensed crew member: A. Sells lobsters or crabs under the direct supervision of the holder of the …

1. Establishment of zones. The commissioner may establish by rule zones to facilitate local or regional management of lobster fishery efforts. 1-A. Declared lobster zone; authorized zones. On an application for a Class I, Class II, Class III, student or noncommercial lobster and …

1. Councils. The commissioner shall establish a lobster management policy council for each zone created under section 6446. Council members must be reimbursed pursuant to Title 5, section 12004‑I, subsection 57‑A. 2. Rules for operation. By July 1, 1996, the commissioner shall es…

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. [PL 1999, c. 508,…

An island limited-entry program may be established pursuant to this section in order to maintain a number of licenses appropriate for the needs of an island community and the local lobster resource. [PL 2009, c. 294, §2 (NEW).] 1. Proposal to the commissioner. Notwithstanding sec…

1. Temporary medical allowance. Notwithstanding section 6421, upon request the commissioner may issue a temporary medical allowance that permits an individual to fish under the authority of the license of a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license holder wh…

1. Allocation of license fees. 1-A. Lobster Fund established. The Lobster Fund is established within the department. The Lobster Fund receives surcharge fees collected pursuant to section 6421, subsection 7‑C. Funds deposited in the Lobster Fund must be used for the purposes of l…

1. Collaborative established; purpose. The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, established in Title 5, section 12004‑H, subsection 14‑A and referred to in this subchapter as “the collaborative,” is created to promote and market actively Maine lobsters in state, regional, natio…

The lobster fishing industry is one of the most important industries in the State because of its contribution to the economy and also because of its unique social, historic and cultural contributions to this State's quality of life. [PL 1979, c. 355, §1 (NEW).] This subchapter is…

1. Appointment; composition. The Lobster Advisory Council, established by Title 5, section 12004‑I, subsection 58 and in this subchapter known as the "council," consists of the following members: A. One person from each lobster management policy council established under section …

1. Advise. The council shall advise the commissioner on activities of the department that relate to the lobster industry. The council may investigate problems affecting the lobster industry and make recommendations to the commissioner and the Marine Resources Advisory Council con…

The Lobster Research, Education and Development Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established in the department. Balances in the fund may not lapse and must be carried forward and used for the purposes of this section. [PL 2023, c. 466, §2 (AMD).] 1. Sources and…

The Lobster Innovation Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established in the department. The fund consists of money received as appropriations and contributions from public and private sources. Balances in the fund may not lapse and must be carried forward. The f…

1. Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area. The following territorial waters of the State in the vicinity of Monhegan Island are known as the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area:Beginning at a point located at latitude 43`45.09' north and longitude 069`22.16' west that is 2 nautical mi…

1. Closed season. Except as provided in section 6477, it is unlawful for a person to fish for or take lobsters in the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area from June 26th to September 30th, both days inclusive, and on any day not included in the open season established by the commis…

1. Limitations. A person registered for Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area trap tags under section 6474 may not fish for or take lobsters: A. In the State's 3-mile territorial sea at any time, except in that portion of the coastal waters designated under section 6471 as the Monhe…

1. Prohibition. A person may not submerge a lobster trap in the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area unless a lobster trap tag designated for use in the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area is affixed to the trap. The commissioner shall charge fees and deposit those fees for Monhegan…

1. New participants. A person who is not registered to obtain Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area trap tags may obtain trap tags if that person becomes registered for Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area trap tags pursuant to this section. A. If a Monhegan Island limited-entry progr…

A person whose registration to obtain Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area trap tags has lapsed may be listed on the waiting list under section 6475, subsection 1, paragraph A and may purchase trap tags if the person becomes registered pursuant to section 6475, subsection 1, paragr…

1. Trap tags. Notwithstanding section 6474, a person issued a student license under section 6421 may not be issued by the commissioner more than: A. Ten Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area trap tags in the Monhegan Lobster Conservation Area if the person is 8 years of age or older…

1. Swans Island Lobster Conservation Area. The following territorial waters of the State in the vicinity of Swans Island are known as the Swans Island Lobster Conservation Area: Beginning at the northern tip of Long Point, Marshall Island, Hancock County, Maine; then northerly to…

1. Placing and maintaining traps. A person may not place or maintain any trap for lobsters, or otherwise fish for or take lobsters, within the Swans Island Lobster Conservation Area except in accordance with this section. A. An individual registered to obtain Swans Island Lobster…

1. License required. A person may not engage in the activities authorized under this section without a current: A. Commercial fishing license for a resident operator; [PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. F, §10 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, §2 (AFF).] B. Commercial fishing license for a reside…

A nonresident individual may fish for, take, possess, ship, transport or sell tuna that the individual has taken, without a commercial fishing license, if the individual has a current special tuna permit. [PL 2001, c. 421, Pt. B, §26 (AMD); PL 2001, c. 421, Pt. C, §1 (AFF).] 1. E…