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An Act To Encourage Applied Shellfish Research
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6671, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2017, c. 350, §1, is further amended to read:
 
A. Within any area of the intertidal zone within the municipality, a shellfish conservation ordinance may:
 
(1) Regulate or prohibit the possession of shellfish;
 
(2) Fix the amount of shellfish that may be taken;
 
(3) Provide for protection from shellfish predators;
 
(4) Authorize the municipal officials to open and close flats under specified conditions; and
 
(5) Specify areas of the intertidal zone in which the dragging of mussels may be limited to the degree necessary to support a municipal shellfish conservation program.; and
 
(6) Allow a research entity to conduct applied research in conjunction with department staff or a professional entity that is approved by the department to support a municipal shellfish conservation program. The municipality shall require a research entity conducting approved research projects in the intertidal zone pursuant to this paragraph to issue an annual report on research findings to the commissioner by January 1st.
 
SUMMARY
This bill amends the law governing municipal shellfish conservation programs. It provides that a municipal shellfish conservation ordinance may allow a research entity to conduct applied research in conjunction with Department of Marine Resources staff or an approved professional entity to support a municipal shellfish conservation program. It also requires a municipality to require a research entity conducting approved research projects in the intertidal zone to issue an annual report on research findings to the Commissioner of Marine Resources by January 1st.