Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Licensing Entry topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee moves 'ought not to pass' on proposal for senior retiree lobster license amid zone-council and enforcement concerns
Summary
The committee voted to recommend 'ought not to pass' on LD 851, a bill to create a senior retiree lobster and crab license with a 100-trap limit and May–November season; opponents warned the change could add gear and complicate management while zone councils and DMR concerns remain unresolved.
LD 851, a bill to create a senior retiree lobster and crab license for residents age 65 or older, drew a contested work session and a committee motion recommending the bill not pass.
As drafted, the bill would make people age 65 or older (who had previously held Class 1–3 lobster/crab licenses for at least three consecutive years) eligible for a new license type that allows up to 100 traps submerged at any time and a May 1–November 30 season; the proposed fee in the draft was $60. The committee record notes the Department of Marine Resources and the Maine Lobstermen’s Association opposed the bill.
DMR testified the measure is difficult to assess without clearer data on how many additional license-holders might seek the new license, and warned that adding gear — even modestly — comes at a time when the fishery may face additional federal measures. DMR staff also explained current licensing rules: a person who completes the apprenticeship program becomes eligible automatically for a license at age 70 and is not subject to the waiting list; a newly issued license typically starts at 300 traps with the ability to build up toward the zone limit. The department expressed concern that creating a new license category that bypasses apprenticeship or waiting-list protocols could have unintended consequences for zone-council allocations and for management of trap density.
Committee members discussed alternatives raised in the hearing, including a narrower change to the existing rules: lowering the automatic-eligibility age from 70 to 65 for those who completed the apprenticeship program would allow retirees who completed the apprenticeship to obtain a license without changing apprenticeship or waiting-list rules. Several committee members said they preferred engaging zone councils on any change that affects entry or trap counts.
Action taken: After discussion the committee adopted a motion that LD 851 be reported “ought not to pass.” The motion passed on roll-call (11–1–1 present/absent). Committee members said the step preserves the role of zone councils and avoids adding gear at a time of regulatory uncertainty.
