Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7077, sub-§1-B, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 136, §1, is amended to read:

A. Introducing fish into inland waters without a permit in violation of section 7371, subsection 3 as it applies to section 7202, subsection 1; section 7203, subsection 1; section 7204, subsection 1; and section 7206;

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §7077, sub-§1-B, ¶B-1 is enacted to read:

B-1.__Possessing fish in violation of section 7604-A;

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §7604-A is enacted to read:

§7604-A.__Illegal possession of live fish

Except as otherwise provided in this Part, any fish legally taken from inland waters pursuant to this Part, except baitfish and smelts, must be immediately released alive into the waters from which it was taken or must be killed at once.__Any fish killed pursuant to this section becomes part of the daily bag limit.

Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §7901-A, sub-§5, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 421, Pt. B, §88 and affected by Pt. C, §1, is amended to read:

A. Failure to have license or permit as described in section 7371, subsection 3, as it applies to section 7202, subsection 1; section 7203, subsection 1; section 7204, subsection 1; and section 7206 is a Class E crime, except that, notwithstanding Title 17-A, section 1301, the fine may not be less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §7901-A, sub-§10, ¶B is enacted to read:

B.__Possession of fish in violation of section 7604-A is a Class E crime.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.