Sec. 1. 12 MRSA c. 629 is enacted to read:

CHAPTER 629

GREAT SALT BAY MARINE SHELLFISH PRESERVE

§6961.__Great Salt Bay marine shellfish preserve

1.__Designation; prohibition.__The Great Salt Bay is designated as a marine shellfish preserve in which the harvesting of any shellfish species and other harvesting activities involving bottom disturbance are prohibited, except that the commissioner may authorize research activities in the area.

2.__Great Salt Bay defined.__For the purposes of this section, "Great Salt Bay" means the tidal portion of the Damariscotta River in the towns of Damariscotta, Newcastle and Nobleboro that is north of a line extending between 2 points of land located 600 yards north of the U.S. Route 1 highway bridge.

3.__Research activities.__This section does not apply to research activities in the Great Salt Bay that are authorized by the commissioner.

4.__Taking of finfish.__Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the taking of finfish from the Great Salt Bay.

Sec. 2. Participation in study. During the period ending June 30, 2005, the Department of Marine Resources, within existing budgeted resources, shall participate in the planning and evaluation of a privately funded study of the Great Salt Bay's ecology and resources if the Commissioner of Marine Resources authorizes the study in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 6961. The department's participation must include representation of the department on a joint study management committee to be formed of representatives of the shellfish harvesting community, recreational ice anglers, local land trusts, the municipal officers of the towns of Damariscotta, Newcastle and Nobleboro and the University of Maine's Darling Marine Center laboratory.

FISCAL NOTE

The Department of Marine Resources will incur some minor additional costs to participate in a privately funded study of Great Salt Bay and to enforce the designation of the bay as a marine shellfish preserve. These costs can be absorbed within the department's existing budgeted resources.