Marine Resources

LD 1353 modifies Maine's rules for issuing commercial menhaden fishing licenses for 2026. It requires applicants to have reported legal landings of at least 20,000 pounds of menhaden in one of the years 2019-2022, and to have held a menhaden fishing license in at least two of those same years. The bill also mandates that applicants submit documentation proving compliance by January 1, 2026. This directly affects commercial fishers seeking to operate in Maine's menhaden fishery in 2026.

This bill creates a new limited-purpose license for aquaculture nursery and husbandry activities in Maine, allowing individuals to raise and care for marine organisms in coastal waters before they are deployed to permanent aquaculture sites. The license requires applicants to have no water discharge, use approved stock and equipment, limit their gear to 1,600 square feet, and ensure their activities do not interfere with navigation, riparian access, or other water uses. It also clarifies the lease amendment process by giving preference to current limited-purpose license holders if they later apply to lease the same area. The bill directly affects aquaculture operators, municipal shellfish management committees, and municipal officers involved in early-stage marine organism cultivation.

This bill amends existing legislation to allow the Maine Commissioner of Marine Resources to create emergency rules protecting marine mammals during exceptional circumstances, provided the commissioner consults with industry personnel first. It requires the department to submit an annual written report to the Legislature by January 1st each year detailing how the emergency rule-making authority has been used. The annual reporting requirement replaces a previous one-time report, ensuring ongoing oversight of this emergency power.

This bill extends the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative's operation from its original end date of December 31, 2031, to December 31, 2028. The legislation also establishes that collaborative members will serve staggered three-year terms with a limit of two consecutive terms, and requires the Department of Marine Resources to submit a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2028, detailing the collaborative's work in 2026 and 2027. These changes affect the management structure and oversight of the collaborative, which works to promote Maine's lobster industry.

This bill amends Maine's licensing requirements for for-hire charter boat operators by adding a new qualification option: a valid U.S. Coast Guard-issued Merchant Mariner Credential with a passenger-carrying endorsement. It directly affects individuals seeking or holding licenses for commercial passenger charter boat operations. The key change replaces prior eligibility language with this specific credential as an acceptable qualification, streamlining the licensing process for qualified operators. The amendment does not alter licensing rules for lobster, crab, or elver dealers, which were listed in the bill's title but not modified in this specific amendment.