The bill establishes 2 elver fishing zones in the State. Zone 1 includes all coastal waters west of a line that runs approximately down the middle of the Penobscot Bay. The elver fishing season in Zone 1 is from noon March 15th to May 31st. Zone 2 includes all coastal waters east of the line. The elver fishing season in Zone 2 runs from noon April 1st to June 15th. A person may fish in either zone during the open season.

The bill also establishes a variety of limitations on the placement of elver gear and the use of elver gear.

The bill requires the Commissioner of Marine Resources to report by August 1, 1999 to the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources on the harvest of elvers during the 1999 season and on any recommendations regarding the number of licenses and gear restrictions for the 2000 elver fishing season. The commissioner must by September 1, 1999 convene a meeting with representatives of the elver fishing industry to review the findings of the reports.