Resolve, Directing the Department of Marine Resources to Evaluate How to Effectively Allow 2 Licensed Individuals to Fish for Lobsters or Scallops from a Single Vessel
Summary
LD 1341 is a resolve directing the Department of Marine Resources to study how two licensed individuals can fish from the same vessel in the lobster and scallop fisheries without increasing overall harvest. For the lobster fishery, the department must evaluate how two people each holding a valid Class I, II, or III lobster and crab fishing license could fish concurrently from one vessel while avoiding any increase in catch. For the scallop fishery, it must evaluate the same issue for two licensed scallop draggers working from a single vessel.
The resolve does not immediately change licensing or harvest rules. Instead, it requires the department to review the issue, consult with relevant advisory bodies, and report its findings to the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources by March 1, 2026. The bill is aimed at identifying a workable regulatory approach that could allow shared-vessel fishing in these fisheries while preserving existing conservation and management goals.
Impact
LD 1341 has no direct immediate effect on the Maine Revised Statutes governing lobster or scallop licensing, harvest limits, or vessel operations. Its legal impact is to require the Department of Marine Resources to conduct a policy review and deliver a report, potentially informing future legislation or rulemaking affecting Title 12 marine resource provisions. The bill specifically implicates lobster and scallop fishery management, including consultation with the Lobster Advisory Council, lobster management policy councils, and the Scallop Advisory Council.
Sentiment
The available record shows no recorded committee transcript or vote history, so there is no documented opposition or support in the materials provided. Based on the text alone, the resolve appears procedural and exploratory rather than controversial, suggesting a generally neutral or pragmatic approach focused on studying a fisheries management question rather than making an immediate policy change.
Contention
The central policy issue is whether allowing two licensed harvesters to operate from a single vessel could be done without increasing total harvest. Any concern would likely come from fishery managers or stakeholders worried about conservation, enforcement, or effort creep, while proponents would likely favor operational flexibility for license holders. Because the bill only requires a study and report, it avoids resolving those disputes now and instead asks the department to gather input from advisory councils before any future action.
Resolve, Regarding the Percentage of a Lobster and Crab Fishing Licensee's Lobster Traps That May Be Fished in a Lobster Management Zone Listed on the License as a Secondary Zone
A JOINT RESOLUTION directing the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to evaluate and report on the repair or replacement of the Great Crossing Dam and declaring an emergency.