|
Licensed
Activity | Methods of Fishing
| Lobster
Measurement | Closed
Periods
Egg Bearing V-Notched
Lobsters | Trap Construction
| Molesting Lobster Gear
Gear
Modifications (Federal Regulations In State Waters) |
Boating Safety
Requirements
In 1997
the State of Maine passed a law allowing residents of the State a lobster/crab
license for recreational purposes. Traditionally, lobster fishing in the State
of Maine was strictly a commercial endeavor. With the privilege comes a fair
level of responsibility on the part of the license holder. Remember that
lobstering is a heavily regulated fishery and that the laws (rules) that apply
to commercial harvesters apply to the noncommercial lobstermen as well.
If you
have questions concerning any of the following laws or need further
clarification please feel free to contact the Bureau of Marine Patrol Regional
Offices at either Lamoine or Boothbay or contact your local Maine Marine Patrol
Officer.
|
|
Maine
Marine Patrol Division I Office
Department
of Marine Resources Lab
McKnown Point
PO Box 8 West
Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575
(207)
633-9595
|
Maine Marine Patrol Division II Office
c/o Lamoine State Park
RFD
2 Ellsworth, ME 04605
(207) 667-3373
|
|
Licensed
Activity:
Ø The Holder of a noncommercial lobster/crab license must be a resident of
the State of Maine.
Ø The license
authorizes the holder to fish
for, take, possess, ship or transport lobsters or crabs he or she has
taken.
Ø The license does not authorize the
sale of these lobsters or crabs.
Ø Noncommercial license holders may not submerge more than
five
(5) lobster traps at any one time in Maine's coastal waters. This total of
five includes crab traps.
Note:
This license only allows the licensed individual to engage in the activities
discussed above. An unlicensed individual may not engage in any licensed
activity or assist the license holder. These restrictions include the following.
-
Hauling/handling
lobster traps.
-
Baiting
bags between traps.
-
Banding/measuring
lobsters.
-
Operating
boat between traps.
Back
to Top
Methods
of Fishing:
Ø Unlawful to set, raise, lift or transfer a lobster trap or buoy unless
clearly marked with owners' lobster/crab fishing license number.
Ø Unlawful to fish for or take lobsters by any method other than with
conventional lobster traps.
Ø Buoy color design must be displayed on the boat so that it is clearly
visible on both sides of the boat.
Note:
Both buoys and traps must display the license holders lobster/crab license
numbers. Click here for example
picture of buoy display.
Back
to Top
|
Lobster
Measurement:
|
Lobster Size: A legal
lobster in the State of Maine is between
3 8/32” and 5”
ORE.........
|
|
Ø Minimum lobster size 3 8/32".
Ø Maximum lobster size 5". Measurement is determined by the State
double gauge lobster measure.
Ø Lobsters are measured from the
rear of the eye socket along a line parallel to the centerline of the body shell to the rear end of the body shell (diagram).
Note:
A common error made by novice lobstermen is to measure over the horn located
above the eye socket. Make certain that your measure is in the eye socket below
the horn. Click here for example of
proper method of measuring lobster.
Exception:
No violation shall occur if the illegal lobster is immediately
liberated alive into the coastal waters.
Penalty:
A fine of $50 for the violation and a fine of $25 for each illegal lobster
involved up to five (5) and then $50 for each additional lobster.
Back
to Top
|
|
Closed
Periods:
Ø Unlawful to raise, haul or transfer any lobster trap.
-
Summer
(June 1st to October 31st) from 1/2 hour after sunset
until 1/2 hour before sunrise.
-
Weekends
from 4:00pm Saturday to 1/2 hour before sunrise the following Monday morning
from June 1st to August 31st both days inclusive.
Back
to Top
|
Egg
Bearing V-Notched Lobsters
|
|
It is
unlawful to take, transport, sell or possess any lobster, which is:
Ø Bearing eggs (carried under the tail)
Ø A female lobster marked with a v-notch in the right flipper next to the
middle flipper (determined when underside of lobster down and tail is toward
person making the determination.)
Ø A female lobster mutilated in a manner, which could hide or obliterate a
v-notch.
Ø
No violation if lobster is immediately liberated into coastal waters.
Ø Penalty: eggbearing ($50.00 for violation and $100.00 for each lobster).
V-notched/mutilated ($50.00 for violation and $50.00 for each lobster).
Note:
Policy (purpose) to provide uniform detection of female v-notch lobsters and
mutilated (flipper) female lobsters.
-
V-notch: any female lobster with a distinct v-notch in the end part of
the right middle flippers.
-
Mutilated: any female lobster that has the end part of the right middle
flipper mutilated in such a manner that would hide or obliterate a v-notch.
-
A naturally regenerated flipper no matter its size is considered legal.
Click here for examples of V-Notch and mutilated flippers.
|
|
General: It shall be unlawful
to take, transport, sell, or possess any lobster
which is bearing eggs or any female marked with
a V-Notch…or any lobster which is mutilated
in a manner which could hide or obliterate that
mark… (12-§6436-1)
MORE......... |
Back
to Top
|
|
Trap
Construction:
|
lVent Required: It is unlawful
to fish for or take lobsters unless the lobster
trap is equipped with unobstructed vents or gaps
in the parlor section as follows:
MORE.........
|
Note:
Trap tags issued to noncommercial lobster/crab holders do not display the
lobster/crab license number and therefore do not fulfill this requirement. The
license number needs to be added to the trap. If a tag or tags are lost or
broken they must be replaced. Contact your local Marine Patrol Officer or DMR
headquarters for replacement tags.
Back
to Top
|
Ø Lobster traps must be equipped with unobstructed
escape
vents or gaps in the parlor section. There are two types of plastic vents
used in wire traps. One is a rectangular vent with an opening of 1 15/16"
by 5 3/4". The other is a vent with two circular openings 2 7/16"
referred to as crab vents. These circular vents can only be used in a trap when
the vent is placed in the trap horizontally with the two circles next to each
other, not vertical with one above the other. Both can be put in the parlor section of the trap along the bottom edge
or on the top of the parlor section over the parlor head. If you have wood traps
you must have an opening of 1 15/16" along the bottom edge, by separating
the laths of the parlor section. Click
here for examples of escape vents
Ø In addition, lobster traps are required to be equipped with a
biodegradable escape panel.
This
can be accomplished by using ferrous metal hog rings to hold your escape vents
in place instead of stainless steel hog rings. Just be sure that enough of the
trap wire is cut out behind the escape vent to have an opening of 3 3/4" x
3 3/4". The purpose for ghost panels is to allow for the lobsters to escape
when a trap is lost on the bottom. By providing a large opening when the hog
rings dissolve the trap does not continue to fish. Click here for example of
biodegradable escape panel.
Ø All traps must be marked with the license holder's lobster/crab fishing
license number.
|
…all lobster traps
must be equipped with a biodegradable ghost
panel. A “ghost panel” is an escape
panel which is designed to release lobsters
from traps which are lost while fishing.
(12-§6433-A)
MORE......... |
|
Molesting
Lobster Gear:
Ø Unlawful for anyone except the licensed owner or a marine patrol officer
to raise, lift, transfer, possess or in any manner molest any lobster trap,
warp, buoy or lobster car.
Ø A conviction under this section carries an additional administrative
penalty of three- (3) year's loss of license.
Back
to Top
Gear
Modifications (Federal Regulations in State Waters):
Ø All Buoy lines must be 7/16” or less in diameter.
As of January 1, 2003 you must choose one of the following three options.
Ø All buoys must be attached to the buoy line with a weak link having a
breaking strength no greater than 600 lbs. Weak
links may include swivels, plastic weak links, rope of the appropriate strength,
hog rings, rope stapled to a buoy stick, or devices approved in writing by NMFS.
In addition, the weak link must be designed so that the bitter end of the
buoy line is clean and free of knots when the weak link breaks.
Ø All buoy lines must be made entirely of sinking and/or neutrally buoyant
line.
Ø All ground lines must be made entirely of sinking and/or neutrally
buoyant line.
Back
to Top
Boating
Safety Requirements:
Back
to Top
Marine
Patrol Homepage
|
