Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6803, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1999, c. 501, §1, is further amended to read:

1. Permit required. It is unlawful for any person to harvest, possess, ship, transport or sell seaweed without a current seaweed permit, except that an employee or immediate relation of a seaweed permit holder may harvest, possess or transport seaweed for commercial purposes with a supplemental seaweed permit.

The holder of a seaweed permit shall obtain the written permission of the upland owner or the upland owner's agent prior to harvesting seaweed in the intertidal zone.__A copy of the written permission must be filed with the commissioner.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6807, as reallocated by RR 1999, c. 1, §19, is repealed.

SUMMARY

This bill requires a holder of a seaweed permit to obtain written permission from the upland landowner prior to harvesting seaweed in the intertidal zone. The bill also repeals the authority given to the Commissioner of Marine Resources to establish rules regulating the harvesting of seaweed.