2013 Maine Revised Statutes
TITLE 12: CONSERVATION
Chapter 627: GENERAL PROHIBITIONS
12 §6952-A. Trawling, seining or netting for lobster

Part 9: MARINE RESOURCES
Subpart 2: LICENSING

6952-A. Trawling, seining or netting for lobster

1. Trawling, seining or netting for lobsters prohibited. A person may not:

A. Fish for or take lobsters by use of a trawl, drag, dredge, seine or net; or [2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 21 (AMD).]

B. Possess any lobsters, regardless of their source, on board any boat rigged for dragging, trawling, dredging, seining or netting. [2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 21 (AMD).]

[ 2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 21 (AMD) .]

2. Exception; liberated alive. A person does not violate this section if the lobster is immediately liberated alive in the coastal waters.

[ 2003, c. 452, Pt. F, 36 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, 2 (AFF) .]

3. Exceptions; boats. This section does not apply to:

A. A boat rigged for dragging, trawling, dredging or seining if all nets, drags and dredges are removed from the boat; or [2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 22 (AMD).]

B. A boat rigged for netting if there are no finfish taken by gill net aboard. [2003, c. 452, Pt. F, 36 (NEW); 2003, c. 452, Pt. X, 2 (AFF).]

[ 2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 22 (AMD) .]

4. Penalty for possession. A violation of this section is a Class D crime, except that in addition to any punishment that may be imposed under Title 17-A, Part 3, the court shall impose a fine of $500 for each violation and, in addition, a fine of $100 for each lobster involved, up to and including the first 5, and a fine of $200 for each lobster in excess of 5, or, if the number of lobsters cannot be determined, a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $5,000. A court may not suspend a fine imposed under this subsection.

[ 2009, c. 394, 14 (NEW) .]

SECTION HISTORY

2003, c. 452, F36 (NEW). 2003, c. 452, X2 (AFF). 2009, c. 394, 14 (AMD). 2011, c. 266, Pt. A, 21, 22 (AMD).