| | Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not become | effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as | emergencies; and |
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| | Whereas, the harvesting of seaweed and rockweed is not currently | sufficiently regulated; and |
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| | Whereas, declines in certain fisheries will result in increased | pressure on the seaweed resource; and |
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| | 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, |
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| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 12 MRSA c. 623, sub-c. IV, art. 2 is enacted to read: |
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| | 1.__Rules. The commissioner shall by rule establish limits on | the harvesting of seaweed from the low water mark to the 3-mile | territorial sea line.__The rules may include, but are not limited | to, limits on the amount, method and location of seaweed | harvesting.__Rules adopted under this section are routine | technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II- | A. |
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| | Sec. 2. Rulemaking; report. The Commissioner of Marine | Resources shall adopt rules in accordance with the Maine Revised | Statutes, Title 12, section 6821 no later than 90 days following | the effective date of this Act. The commissioner shall report to | the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources by January 15, | 2000 on the status of the rules and the condition of the State's | seaweed resource. |
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| | Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, | this Act takes effect when approved. |
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