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representatives of the elver fishing industry to review the | | findings of the report. |
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| | | Sec. 9. Application. That part of this Act that amends the Maine | | Revised Statutes, Title 6505-A applies to a person who purchased | | an elver fishing license for the 1999 elver fishing season before | | the effective date of this Act. That person must document to the | | Commissioner of Marine Resources by March 15, 1999 that that | | person complies with the provisions of Title 12, section 6505-A, | | subsection 2. If that person fails to provide the documentation | | by March 15, 1999, that person's elver fishing license for the | | 1999 season is revoked, and the Commissioner of Marine Resources | | shall refund to the person all license and gear fees paid by that | | person. |
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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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| | | This bill establishes limits on the purchase of elver fishing | | licenses. It prohibits a person from purchasing an elver fishing | | license unless that person held a license to harvest elvers in | | 1996, 1997 and 1998. The eligibility requirements apply to a | | person who has already purchased a license for the 1999 elver | | fishing season. If a person who holds a license for the 1999 | | elver fishing season does not meet the eligibility requirements, | | the license becomes void, and all the fees must be refunded to | | the person. |
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| | | The bill also sets a $100 fee for each elver fyke net, Sheldon | | eel trap or dip net that is utilized in additions to the one net | | or trap that is authorized with the purchase of an elver fishing | | license. |
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| | | The bill allows the Commissioner of Marine Resources to | | establish days that are closed to elver fishing. It requires the | | commissioner to use the lunar tide schedule when the commissioner | | determines those days. |
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| | | The bill limits the number of elver fyke nets and Sheldon eel | | traps that a person may use to the average number of elver fyke | | nets or Sheldon eel traps that person utilized during the past 3 | | elver fishing seasons in which that person participated. It | | prohibits a person from using a dip net to harvest elvers, unless | | that person utilized a dip net in one of the last 3 elver fishing | | seasons for which that person held a license, or that person | | forfeits one elver fyke net or Sheldon eel trap for each dip net | | used from the average number of elver fyke nets or |
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