1. Closed season. It is unlawful for a person to fish for or take elvers within the coastal waters of the State from June 16th to noon on March 15th of the following year.

2. Setting traps. It is unlawful for a person to immerse or leave immersed a fyke net or a Sheldon eel trap in any river, stream or brook of the coastal waters of the State from February 15th to noon of March 15th.

3. Locating traps. It is unlawful between February 15th and noon of March 15th for a person to designate or claim by any means a location in which an elver fyke net or a Sheldon eel trap would be placed or set.

4. Nets of certain sizes. It is unlawful for a person to immerse or leave immersed in the coastal waters of the State a fyke net, Sheldon eel trap or dip net fitted with netting that measures 1/8 inch bar mesh or less from midnight of June 15th to noon of March 15th of the following year.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §6575-A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 575, §3, is further amended to read:

§6575-A. Closed period; elver harvesting

It is unlawful for a person to fish for or take elvers from noon Friday to noon Sunday. A person may leave an elver fyke net or a Sheldon eel trap in the coastal waters of the State during the closed period if the net or trap is left in a condition that prevents the capture of elvers.

Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §6575-B, as amended by PL 1997, c. 575, §4, is further amended to read:

§6575-B. Method of elver fishing; limits on gear

1. Gear. It is unlawful for a person to fish for or take elvers by any method other than by dip net, elver fyke net or Sheldon eel trap.

2. Number of Sheldon eel traps. It is unlawful from noon of March 15th to midnight of June 15th for a person to immerse at any one time:

A. More than 5 elver fyke nets;

B. More than 5 Sheldon eel traps; or .