S.P. 392 - L.D. 1171
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6803, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 523, §2, is amended to read:
1. Permit required. It is unlawful for any person to harvest, possess, ship, transport or sell seaweed without a current seaweed permit or supplemental seaweed permit. An, except that an employee or immediate relation of a seaweed permit holder may harvest, possess, ship, or transport or sell seaweed for commercial purposes with a supplemental seaweed permit.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6803, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1991, c. 591, Pt. T, §13, is further amended to read:
3. Fees. The fee schedule for seaweed permits is as follows:
A. Ten Fifty dollars for a resident seaweed permit;
B. Eighty-four Two hundred dollars for a nonresident seaweed permit; and
C. Three Twenty-five dollars for a resident supplemental seaweed permit.; and
D. Fifty dollars for a nonresident supplemental seaweed permit.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6803, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4. Disposition of fees. All fees collected under this section accrue to the Seaweed Management Fund established in section 6804.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §§6804 and 6805 are enacted to read:
§6804. Seaweed Management Fund
1. Fund established. The Seaweed Management Fund, referred to in this section as the "fund," is established as a dedicated, nonlapsing fund.
2. Permissible uses. The commissioner shall use the fund in accordance with a plan required under subsection 3 to research and manage the State's seaweed resources and to enforce the laws and rules related to seaweed.
3. Plan required. Beginning in calendar year 2000, the commissioner shall by May 1st of each year present a plan for expenditures from the fund for the next fiscal year to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over marine resource matters. When developing the plan, the commissioner shall consult with harvesters and seaweed dealers.
§6805. Seaweed harvesting rules
The commissioner may adopt rules regulating the harvest of seaweed on a species-specific basis, including, but not limited to, the total number of licenses that may be issued, the designation of a harvesting season or seasons, the quantity of the resource that may be harvested in a season, areas that may be open or closed to harvest and gear and techniques that may be used in harvesting. Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.
Sec. 5. Report; legislation. The Commissioner of Marine Resources shall submit a report by December 31, 1999 to the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources regarding seaweed permits and the Seaweed Management Fund. The report must include recommendations on the license and fee structures for seaweed permits and other potential sources of revenue to fund research on the State's seaweed resources.
The Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources is authorized to report out legislation regarding seaweed permits and the Seaweed Management Fund to the Second Regular Session of the 119th Legislature.
Sec. 6. Allocation. The following funds are allocated from Other Special Revenue funds to carry out the purposes of this Act.
1999-00 2000-01
MARINE RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF
Bureau of Resource Management
All Other $9,050 $12,050
Provides for the allocation of funds to be used to research and manage seaweed resources and to enforce laws and rules related to seaweed.
Effective September 18, 1999, unless otherwise indicated.
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