Whereas, currently there is a moratorium on the issuance of new lobster and crab fishing licenses; and

Whereas, under the provisions of the moratorium, lobster and crab fishing licenses may be issued to individuals who held a lobster and crab fishing license in the year immediately preceding the moratorium, but not to individuals who held a license prior to the year immediately preceding the moratorium; and

Whereas, this provision of the moratorium has the effect of depriving experienced crab and lobster fishers from practicing their trade; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6421-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 747, §1, is amended to read:

1. Moratorium. Notwithstanding section 6421, subsection 5, the commissioner may not issue a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license to a person between the effective date of this section and December 31, 1999 unless that person:

A. Possessed a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous calendar year;

B. Possessed an apprentice lobster and crab fishing license issued prior to February 13, 1998 and meets the requirements of the apprentice program under section 6422; or

C. Did not possess a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license in the previous calendar year because the commissioner had suspended the person's license privileges for a length of time that included that previous calendar year. ; or

D.__Possessed a Class I, Class II or Class III lobster and crab fishing license prior to 1996.__A person who qualifies