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An Act To Clarify Fishing Laws between the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Department of Marine Resources as They Relate to Striped Bass in Inland Waters
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §12602, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2017, c. 150, §5, is further amended to read:
 
2. Possess fish in violation of certain rules.   Possess fish in violation of the number, amount, weight or size limits established by rules adopted by the commissioner; or
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12602, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 150, §5, is amended to read:
 
3. Alter fish from their natural state prior to measuring for bag limit.   When rules adopted by the commissioner limit the volume of fish that may be taken, alter those fish from or possess fish altered from their natural state prior to their being measured for compliance with the volume limit.; or
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §12602, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.  Violation of certain Department of Marine Resources rules; striped bass.     Fish for striped bass in inland waters or possess striped bass taken from inland waters in a number, amount or size that exceeds the number, amount or size limits for striped bass established by rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171. Notwithstanding section 6002 or any provision of law to the contrary, for purposes of this subsection only, the number, amount and size limits for striped bass established by rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171 apply to the inland waters of the State.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §12602, as amended by PL 2017, c. 150, §5, is further amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:
A person who fishes for striped bass in or possesses striped bass taken from the coastal waters of the State in violation of rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171 is subject to the provisions of section 6174.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 129th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.