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An Act To Allow Municipalities To Stock Ponds
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §12758-B  is enacted to read:
§ 12758-B. Fish stocking by a municipality
This section governs the stocking of ponds with fish by municipalities.
 
1.  Authority to stock fish.     A municipality may stock a pond with fish as long as the pond is located entirely within the municipality and the municipality:
 
A.  Purchases the fish to be used for stocking from the department or a hatchery approved by the department;
 
B.  Pays all costs incurred by the department for activities related to stocking by the municipality; and
 
C.  Provides to the public, residents and nonresidents, year-round watercraft access to the pond.
 
2.  Regulation of stocked ponds by a municipality.     This section may not be construed to authorize a municipality to regulate fishing activities on a pond stocked by that municipality.
 
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a municipality to stock a pond with fish when the pond is located entirely within the municipality's boundaries, the municipality purchases the fish to be stocked from the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the municipality provides the public with boat access to the pond being stocked by the municipality. It also requires the municipality to pay any costs incurred by the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife associated with the municipality's stocking activity.