![]()
NOTICE OF STATE RULEMAKING
Public Input for Rules
Notices are published each Wednesday to alert the public regarding state agency rulemaking. You may obtain a copy of any rule by notifying the agency contact person. You may also comment on the rule, and/or attend the public hearing. If no hearing is scheduled, you may request one - the agency may then schedule a hearing, and must do so if 5 or more persons request it. If you are disabled or need special services to attend a hearing, please notify the agency contact person at least 7 days prior to it. Petitions: you can petition an agency to adopt, amend, or repeal any rule; the agency must provide you with petition forms, and must respond to your petition within 60 days. The agency must enter rulemaking if the petition is signed by 150 or more registered voters, and may begin rulemaking if there are fewer. You can also petition the Legislature to review a rule; the Executive Director of the Legislative Council (115 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333, phone (207) 287-1615) will provide you with the necessary petition forms. The appropriate legislative committee will review a rule upon receipt of a petition from 100 or more registered voters, or from "...any person who may be directly, substantially and adversely affected by the application of a rule..." (Title 5 §11112). WorldWide Web: Copies of the weekly notices and the full texts of adopted rule chapters may be found on the internet at: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules. There is also a list of rule-making liaisons (http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules/liaisons.html), who are single points of contact for each agency.
PROPOSALS
AGENCY: 09-137 - Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 1, Open Water and Ice Fishing Regulations (Conroy Lake, Monticello)
PROPOSED RULE NUMBER: 2019-P073
BRIEF SUMMARY: The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has been petitioned to consider the following change to fishing regulations: CONROY LAKE, Monticello (North Region). General fishing laws apply, except: B, CI. S-19. Open to open water fishing from October 1 - November 30: ALO, S-7. If adopted, the rule would open Conroy Lake to ice fishing under the B season code, January 1 - March 31.
PUBLIC HEARING: June 13, 2019 @ 5:30 p.m., Shiretown Inn & Suites, 282 North Street, Houlton, ME
COMMENT DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION / IFW RULEMAKING LIAISON: Becky Orff, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 284 State Street - 41 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333. Telephone: (207) 287-5202. Fax: (207) 287-6395. Email: Becky.Orff@Maine.gov .
FINANCIAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES: No fiscal impact anticipated.
AGENCY: 13-188 - Department of Marine Resources (DMR)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 36, Atlantic Herring (2019 Harvest Rules)
PROPOSED RULE NUMBER: 2019-P074
BRIEF SUMMARY: This proposed rulemaking amends the existing seasonal spawning closures in accordance to the recently approved Addendum II of Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic herring: the initial closure period is extended from 28 days to 42 days; the default closure date for both the Western Closure and the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Closure has been modified from October 4 to September 23; and, the re-closure protocol may be initiated with a lower percentage of spawning fish present in the population, from 25% to 20%.
This proposed rulemaking amends the start date for the mobile Atlantic herring fishery to commence on Sunday, July 14, 2019 and also sets harvest parameters for the Atlantic Herring fishery as determined at the Days Out meeting held April 3, 2019. The Days Out Commissioners designated zero landing days for Period 1 (June 2019). The Days Out Commissioners designated four consecutive landing days, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Sunday to 6:00 p.m. Thursday for vessels issued an Atlantic Herring Limited Access Category A Permit for Period 2 (July - August 2019. These vessels are limited to landing 160,000 lbs. (4 trucks) weekly). The Days Out Commissioners designated five consecutive landing days, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Sunday to 6:00 p.m. Friday for vessels issued an Atlantic Herring Limited Access Category C Permit. Limited access harvester vessels may transfer Atlantic herring at-sea to other limited access harvester vessels. All harvester vessels are prohibited from at-sea transfers of Atlantic herring to carrier vessels. All vessels landing herring caught in Management Area 1A in any Maine port are limited to one landing per 24 hour period (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).
PUBLIC HEARING: June 12, 2019 at 5:00 p.m., Deering Building, Room 101, 90 Blossom Lane, Augusta. Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
COMMENT DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION: Amanda Ellis, DMR, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0021. Telephone: (207) 624-6573. Fax: (207) 624-6024. TTY: (207) 624-6500 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing). Email: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov .
FINANCIAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES: None
AGENCY: 13-188 - Department of Marine Resources (DMR)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 26, Sea Urchin 2019-20 Season - Option 1
PROPOSED RULE NUMBER: 2019-P075
BRIEF SUMMARY: This regulation would establish open harvest days and tote limits for the taking of sea urchins by divers, rakers, trappers, and draggers in Zones 1 and 2 for the 2019-2020 season. For Zone 1, seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020, from which harvesters may only fish up to 15 days of their choosing, the same number of days allowed during the 2018-2019 season, while the number of opportunity days is increased. For Zone 1, the proposed daily tote limit is nine (9) which is 3 totes lower than the 2018-2019 season. For Zone 2, 40-day seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020, from which harvesters may only fish up to 30 days of their choosing. This proposal reduces the fishing days by eight days and opportunity days by five days from the 2018-2019 season. For the Whiting & Dennys Bays Limited Access Area in Zone 2, a 15-day season is proposed for Zone 2 divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020. For Zone 2, the proposed daily tote limit is six (6) which is one fewer than the 2018-2019 season.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Augusta: June 12, 2019 - 6:00 p.m., Room 101, Deering Building, 90 Blossom Lane
Ellsworth: June 13, 2019, 6:00 p.m., Council Chamber Room, Ellsworth City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza
Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
COMMENT DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION: Amanda Ellis, DMR, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0021. Telephone: (207) 624-6573. Fax: (207) 624-6024. TTY: (207) 624-6500 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing). Email: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov .
FINANCIAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES: None
AGENCY: 13-188 - Department of Marine Resources (DMR)
CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE: Ch. 26, Sea Urchin 2019-20 Season - Option 2
PROPOSED RULE NUMBER: 2019-P076
BRIEF SUMMARY: This regulation would establish open harvest days and tote limits for the taking of sea urchins by divers, rakers, trappers, and draggers in Zones 1 and 2 for the 2019-2020 season. For Zone 1, 20-day seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020, from which harvesters may only fish up to 15 days of their choosing, the same number of days allowed during the 2018-2019 season. For Zone 1, the proposed daily tote limit is ten (10) which is 2 totes lower than the 2018-2019 season. For Zone 2, 40-day seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020, from which harvesters may only fish up to 30 days of their choosing. This proposal reduces the fishing days by eight days and opportunity days by five days from the 2018-2019 season. For the Whiting & Dennys Bays Limited Access Area in Zone 2, a 15-day season is proposed for Zone 2 divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2019-2020. For Zone 2, the proposed daily tote limit is six (6) with is one fewer than the 2018-2019 season.
PUBLIC HEARINGS:
Augusta: June 12, 2019 - 6:00 p.m., Room 101, Deering Building, 90 Blossom Lane
Ellsworth: June 13, 2019, 6:00 p.m., Council Chamber Room, Ellsworth City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza.
Hearing facilities: If you require accommodations due to disability, please contact Meredith Mendelson at (207) 624-6553.
COMMENT DEADLINE: June 24, 2019
CONTACT PERSON FOR THIS FILING / SMALL BUSINESS IMPACT INFORMATION: Amanda Ellis, DMR, 21 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0021. Telephone: (207) 624-6573. Fax: (207) 624-6024. TTY: (207) 624-6500 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing). Email: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov .
FINANCIAL IMPACT ON MUNICIPALITIES OR COUNTIES: None
ADOPTIONS
Pursuant to Ch. 380 of the Public Laws of 2011, notice of the adoption of rules will no longer be published in the newspaper rulemaking notices; our Wednesday web notices will continue to carry them, however. Information on rules adopted through the Maine Administrative Procedure Act as well as the full text of adopted rules is available on the internet at http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/rules .
