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An Act To Eliminate the 3-trap Limit in the Waters off Hancock County
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6439, as amended by PL 2001, c. 272, §3, is further amended to read:
§ 6439.Areas of limited lobster fishing
It is unlawful to have on any trawl more than 3 lobster traps in the following areas:
 
1. West of Cape Elizabeth and east of Kittery. Westerly of a line drawn from the active lighthouse at Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth through the Hue and Cry Buoy and, continuing in a straight line, to the point of intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line, and northerly and easterly of a line running between the Kitts Rocks Whistle Buoy and the West Sister Buoy and extending westerly to the New Hampshire border, and from the West Sister Buoy to the Murray Rock Buoy and thence to and through the lighthouse on Boone Island and, continuing in a straight line, to the point of intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line; and
 
2. Between Pemaquid and Robinson's Points. Between the following lines:
 
A. Beginning at a point 48 miles true north of the lighthouse on Pemaquid Point, Lincoln County; thence true south through the lighthouse to a point of intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line; and
 
B. Beginning at a point 40 miles true north from the lighthouse at Robinson's Point, Isle au Haut, Knox County; thence true south through the lighthouse to a point of intersection with the 3-nautical-mile line; and.
 
3.  Off Hancock County.   Beginning at Schoodic Point, Hancock County; thence running a True compass course of 159` for approximately 16 miles to latitude 44`04.33' north and longitude 067`54.64' west; thence running along a True compass course of 236` for approximately 11.4 miles, to and through Mt. Desert Rock to latitude 43`57.87' north and longitude 068`08.2' west; thence running in a True compass course of 336` for approximately 4.2 miles to latitude 44`01.65' north and longitude 068`10.55' west; thence running in a westerly direction to a point where that line intersects with the line described in subsection 2, paragraph B, if it is extended to that line.
 
SUMMARY
This bill eliminates the limit in current law of 3 lobster traps per trawl in the waters off Hancock County.