Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6448, sub-§7, as amended by PL 1999, c. 693, §2, is further amended to read:

7. Authorization of new zone entrants. The commissioner shall determine by February 1st of each licensing year the number of new zone entrants that may be authorized for each limited- entry zone. The number of new zone entrants authorized in a licensing year must be in accordance with the exit ratio established under subsection 2 for that zone. The commissioner shall authorize new zone entrants in chronological order of requests received under subsection 5. The commissioner shall notify the authorized new zone entrants by certified mail. If a person does not declare a zone within 30 days after receiving the notification by certified mail, that person must be taken off the waiting list and the next person on the list must be authorized as a new zone entrant. If a person has indicated a request for more than one zone pursuant to subsection 5, that person must be taken off the waiting list for the 2nd zone when the person declares one of the zones as that person's declared lobster zone after being authorized to do so. If a person who holds a current Class I, Class II or, Class III or noncommercial license is authorized as a new zone entrant and declares the zone as that person's declared lobster zone, the commissioner shall change the zone identified on that person's license to the limited-entry zone for which the person is authorized.

Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §6448, sub-§8, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 643, §7, is amended to read:

8. Exceptions. Notwithstanding subsection 4 , the following persons may be issued a Class I, Class II or, Class III or noncommercial lobster and crab fishing license that identifies a limited-entry zone as the declared lobster zone without meeting the requirements in subsection 4.