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An Act To Decrease the Risk of the Spread of Invasive Aquatic Plants
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §12505-A  is enacted to read:
§ 12505-A. Invasive aquatic plant risk assessment
 
1.  Development of risk assessment tool.     The commissioner, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, shall develop a risk assessment tool to evaluate the economic and environmental risks associated with the spread of invasive aquatic plants when making decisions regarding public access to public waters, including the issuance of permits for fishing derbies and bass tournaments. For purposes of this section, "invasive aquatic plant" has the same meaning as in section 13001, subsection 14.
 
2.  Evaluating risks before issuing permits.     Before issuing a permit pursuant to section 12504, 12504-A or 12505, the commissioner shall conduct a risk assessment using the tool developed in accordance with subsection 1 if the fishing derby or bass tournament is proposed on public waters with documented invasive aquatic plants.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12708, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
 
2. The Public Boat Launch Access Program.   The Public Boat Launch Access Program, referred to in this subsection as the "program," is established in the department. The purpose of the program is to provide anglers, boaters and other persons fair and equitable public access to public waters that offer recreational fishing opportunities by acquiring lands adjacent to those waters and providing appropriate opportunities to access those waters. The commissioner may establish program priorities based on fishery management or other resource management objectives and may use for these purposes any funds received through federal programs intended to aid in the restoration of sport fishing and other revenues available for providing access to public waters. The commissioner shall apply the risk assessment tool, developed in accordance with section 12505-A, subsection 1, to evaluate the economic and environmental risks associated with the spread of invasive aquatic plants when determining whether to permit public access to public waters with documented invasive aquatic plants. For purposes of this subsection, "invasive aquatic plant" has the same meaning as in section 13001, subsection 14.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Protection, to develop a risk assessment tool to evaluate the economic and environmental risks associated with public access, including the issuance of permits for fishing derbies and tournaments, on public waters with documented invasive aquatic plants. It requires the commissioner to utilize the risk assessment tool before the issuance of permits for fishing derbies and tournaments and when making decisions regarding public access on public waters with documented invasive aquatic plants.