For the purposes of this Part, the following words shall have the following meanings, unless a different meaning is required by the context. [PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]
1. Aquaculture. “Aquaculture” means the culture or husbandry of marine organisms by any person.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 6001

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • lands: includes lands and all tenements and hereditaments connected therewith, and all rights thereto and interests therein. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • United States: includes territories and the District of Columbia. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
1-A. Alewives.

[PL 2011, c. 598, §2 (RP).]

2. Atlantic salmon. “Atlantic salmon” means the anadromous fish species Salmo salar that customarily migrates from inland waters to the ocean as part of its life cycle.

[PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. BB, §2 (AMD).]

3. Bulk pile. “Bulk pile” means any pile or the contents of any box, barrel or other container.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

4. Buy. “Buy” means to buy or purchase and includes offering to buy.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

5. Car. “Car” means a lobster car, crate, box or other contrivance, whether sunken or floating, that may be used in coastal waters to hold live lobsters.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

6. Coastal waters. “Coastal waters” means all waters of the State within the rise and fall of the tide out to the limits of the exclusive economic zone as shown on the most recently published Federal Government nautical chart, but it does not include areas above any fishway or dam when the fishway or dam is the dividing line between tidewater and fresh water.

[PL 2001, c. 272, §1 (AMD).]

6-A. Commercial fisheries business. “Commercial fisheries business” means an enterprise directly or indirectly concerned with the commercial harvest of wild or aquacultured marine organisms, whose primary source of income is derived from these activities. “Commercial fisheries business” includes, but is not limited to:
A. Persons who fish under a commercial license, aquaculturists and cooperatives of persons who fish under a commercial license; [RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §18 (COR).]
B. Persons providing direct services to persons who fish commercially, aquaculturists or cooperatives of persons who fish commercially, as long as provision of these direct services requires the use of working waterfront property; and [RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §19 (COR).]
C. Municipal and private piers and wharves operated to provide waterfront access to persons who fish commercially, aquaculturists or cooperatives of persons who fish commercially. [RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §20 (COR).]

[RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §§18-20 (COR).]

7. Commissioner. “Commissioner” means Commissioner of Marine Resources.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

8. Common carrier. “Common carrier” means a vehicle that is:
A. Operating under authority granted by either the Federal Government or the carrier’s home state; and [PL 2007, c. 615, §1 (NEW).]
B. Transporting goods for hire and the carrier does not own the marine organisms being transported. [PL 2007, c. 615, §1 (NEW).]

[PL 2007, c. 615, §1 (RPR).]

9. Conservation. “Conservation” means providing for the development and wise utilization of the state’s marine resources, protecting the ultimate supply for present and future generations, preventing waste and implementing sound management programs.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

10. Crayfish. “Crayfish” means all species from either fresh or salt water including, but not limited to, the family Palinuridae, including the representative genera Jasus and Palinurus, which have been called by such terms including, but not limited to, rock lobster, spiny lobster, sea crawfish, red lobster, thorny lobster, langoust, langoustini, langostino, crayfish, Sidney crawfish, kreef, Cuban rock lobster, African lobster or African crawfish.

[PL 1989, c. 348, §2 (AMD).]

11. Crew member. “Crew member” means any person assisting in operating or attending gear or operating a boat while fishing.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

12. Dealer. “Dealer” means any person who buys, sells or distributes any marine organism.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

13. Department. “Department” means the Department of Marine Resources.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

13-A. Engage. “Engage” means engage or attempt to engage.

[PL 1979, c. 541, Pt. B, §13 (NEW).]

13-B. Equipment. “Equipment” means a box, trap, crate, net or other device or machinery used to harvest or store marine organisms.

[PL 1989, c. 742, §1 (NEW).]

13-C. Dip net. “Dip net” means a device consisting of a rigid frame filled with netting, firmly attached to a rigid handle and manually operated by a single person.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

13-D. Eel. “Eel” means a member of the species Anguilla rostrata in that stage of its life cycle when it is 6 inches or more in length.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

13-E. Eel pot. “Eel pot” means a cylindrical or rectangular trap with funnels that is baited and used to harvest eels. An eel pot is 50 cubic feet or less in total volume and utilizes wire or slatting no smaller than 1/2 inch square measure.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

13-F. Elver. “Elver” means a member of the species Anguilla rostrata in that stage of its life cycle when it is less than 6 inches in length.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §1 (NEW).]

13-G. Elver fyke net. “Elver fyke net” means a fyke net that is 30 feet or less in length from cod end to either wing tip, is fitted with netting that measures 1/8-inch bar mesh or less, contains a 1/2-inch or less bar mesh excluder panel that covers the entrance of the net, and consists of not more than one funnel end, one cod end and 2 wings.

[PL 1997, c. 575, §1 (AMD).]

13-H. Elver dip net. “Elver dip net” means a dip net with a hoop of not more than 30 inches in diameter and fitted with netting that measures 1/8 inch bar mesh or less.

[PL 1999, c. 7, §1 (AMD).]

13-I. Established base of operations. “Established base of operations” means the location where a vessel has its primary relationship. Among the factors identifying a primary relationship are the locations at which the vessel is primarily moored or docked, where it prepares for expeditions and hires a crew and to which it regularly returns for repairs, supplies and activities relating to its business or trade. The fact that a vessel carries on one or more of these activities at more than one location within this State or at a location or locations outside this State does not prevent the vessel from being considered to have an established base of operations within the State if a substantial portion of these activities are carried on at a location or locations within this State. For purposes of this subsection, “substantial portion” means a period exceeding 30 days in any calendar year.

[PL 2019, c. 225, §2 (AMD).]

14. Establishment. “Establishment” means the premises, buildings, structures, facilities and equipment, including vehicles, used in the buying, selling or processing of marine organisms.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

15. Finfish. “Finfish” means any cold-blooded marine animal having permanent gills and fins.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

15-A. Fishway. “Fishway” means a human-made device, including fish elevators, fishlocks and fish ladders, that is used to enable fish to migrate upstream past dams, waterfalls, rapids or other obstacles.

[RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §21 (COR).]

16. Fish, the noun. The noun “fish” means all finfish, squid and shrimp, or other marine animal, except lobsters, crabs, shellfish, scallops and marine worms.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

17. Fish, the verb. The verb “fish” means to take or attempt to take any marine organism by any method or means.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

17-A. Freshwater fish. “Freshwater fish” means the following fish species, when found in coastal waters as defined in subsection 6: Brown trout; largemouth bass; smallmouth bass; black crappie; rainbow trout; brook trout; chain pickerel; and landlocked salmon.

[PL 1987, c. 312, §1 (NEW).]

17-B. Fork length. “Fork length” means the greatest dimension between the most anteriorly projecting part of the head and the apex of the V formed by the caudal fin. The measurement is a straight line and is not taken over the curve of the body.

[PL 1987, c. 690, §1 (NEW).]

17-C. Fyke net. “Fyke net” means a funnel-shaped net designed to intercept moving marine organisms and retain marine organisms in a confined space.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]

18. Handline. “Handline” means a single line with no more than 5 hooks attached which is hand held.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

19. Hermetically sealed. “Hermetically sealed” means a container which has been made airtight by fusion so that no air, gas or spirits can either enter or escape, whether or not the container is sterilized by heat. It does not include friction cover containers or containers requiring refrigeration.

[PL 1981, c. 433, §1 (AMD).]

20. Hook and line. “Hook and line” means a single line with no more than 5 hooks, including the commonly called rod and reel and handline.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

20-A. Hoop net. “Hoop net” means a stationary cylindrical net fitted with mesh measuring 1/2 inch or greater stretch measure, that is placed at the bottom of a body of water and has a diameter of 6 feet or less as measured at its widest point and has a length of 18 feet or less as measured from the cod end to the hoop that forms the mouth of the net. “Hoop net” includes wings or leads attached to the mouth of the hoop net.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §2 (NEW).]

21. Intertidal zone. “Intertidal zone” means the shores, flats or other land between high and low water mark.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

22. License. “License” means a document issued by the State to a named person authorizing that person to engage in particular activities. License includes a permit, but does not include a certificate or lease.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

23. Lobster. “Lobster” means a crustacean of the genus Homarus americanus.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

24. Lobster trap. “Lobster trap” means a lobster trap, pot or other stationary contrivance or device that may be set on the ocean bottom and used for taking lobsters or crabs.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

24-A. Mahogany quahog. “Mahogany quahog” means a marine mollusk, Artica icelandica.

[PL 1981, c. 297, §1 (NEW).]

25. Marine mollusk. “Marine mollusk” means any marine invertebrate animal of the phylum Mollusca, but shall not include squid or octopi.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

26. Marine organism. “Marine organism” means any animal, plant or other life that inhabits waters below head of tide.

[PL 1997, c. 123, §1 (AMD).]

27. Marine resources. “Marine resources” means all renewable marine organisms and the entire ecology and habitat supporting those organisms.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

28. Marine resources’ laws. “Marine resources’ laws” means chapter 419 and Part 9 or any other statute authorizing the commissioner or department to undertake any activity, and any regulation authorized by these statutes.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

29. Marine species. “Marine species” means all marine animals except lobster, shellfish, marine worms and elvers.

[PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §3 (AMD); PL 1995, c. 536, Pt. A, §13 (AFF).]

30. Marine worms. “Marine worms” means sand, blood and clam worms.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

30-A. Pacific salmon. “Pacific salmon” means all species of the genus Onchorhynchus.

[PL 1983, c. 662, §1 (NEW).]

31. Parlor section. “Parlor section” means that part of a lobster trap designed or intended to hold or detain lobsters until they are removed by the person operating the trap.

[RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §22 (COR).]

32. Permit. “Permit” means license.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

33. Person. “Person” means any individual, firm, corporation or agency or political subdivision of government.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

34. Personal use. “Personal use” means for consumption or use by oneself, by members of the immediate family or by invited guests.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

34-A. Possession. “Possession” means to have in one’s custody or control, either personally or by another who is under one’s control.

[PL 1985, c. 24, §1 (NEW).]

35. Process, the verb. The verb “process” means handling, storing, cooking, preparing, producing, manufacturing, preserving, packing or other activity which could change the condition or form.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

35-A. Quahog. “Quahog” means a marine mollusk, Mercenaria mercenaria, commonly called hard shelled clams, and Artica icelandica, commonly called mahogany quahogs.

[PL 1981, c. 297, §2 (NEW).]

36. Registered vessel. “Registered vessel” means:
A. A vessel that is owned or operated by a person licensed under this Part; [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]
B. A vessel that is used to bring a marine organism into the State or its territorial waters; [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]
C. A vessel that is registered or has been issued a certificate of number under chapter 935; [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]
D. A vessel documented in accordance with 46 United States Code, Chapter 121 that has designated a Maine port of hail; [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]
E. A vessel that has been issued a certificate of number by the United States Coast Guard under 46 United States Code, Chapter 123 that has identified Maine as the state of principal use; or [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]
F. A vessel that has an established base of operations within this State. [PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (NEW).]

[PL 2005, c. 26, §2 (RPR).]

37. Retail. “Retail” means sale, trade or service directly to the consumer for the consumer’s personal use.

[RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §23 (COR).]

37-A. Rigged. “Rigged” means to have on board the equipment necessary to undertake the activity. The commissioner shall determine by rulemaking what equipment is necessary to undertake the activity. Rules adopted under this subsection are routine technical rules pursuant to Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2?A.

[PL 2005, c. 26, §3 (AMD).]

37-B. River herring. “River herring” means the species Alosa pseudoharengus, commonly called alewife, and Alosa aestivalis, commonly called blueback herring.

[PL 2011, c. 598, §3 (NEW).]

38. Scallop. “Scallop” means sea scallops, Placopecten magellanicus, and bay scallops, Argopecten irradians.

[PL 2023, c. 207, §1 (AMD).]

38-A. Seaweed. “Seaweed” means all marine algae.

[PL 1983, c. 116, §1 (NEW).]

39. Sell. “Sell” means to sell, offer to sell or expose for sale.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

40. Serve. “Serve” means the preparation of a marine organism for retail sale or consumption, but does not include shucking shellfish.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

40-A. Sheldon eel trap. “Sheldon eel trap” means a box trap with a netted wing 10 feet or less in length used to intercept and direct elvers into the trap.

[PL 1997, c. 91, §3 (AMD).]

41. Shellfish. “Shellfish” means clams, quahogs, oysters, whole scallops and mussels and includes shellstock and shucked shellfish.

[PL 2023, c. 207, §2 (AMD).]

42. Shellstock. “Shellstock” means shellfish which have not been removed from their shells.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

43. Ship, the verb. The verb “ship” means to send by a common carrier.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

44. Shucked shellfish. “Shucked shellfish” means shellfish or parts thereof which have been removed from their shells.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

44-A. Single hook. “Single hook” means a hook with no more than one eye and one shank to which one or more points is attached.

[PL 1993, c. 498, §1 (NEW).]

45. Sunrise. “Sunrise” means the time given for sunrise as computed and established for Augusta, Maine, by the Nautical Almanac Office of the United States Naval Observatory for the particular day involved, converted to the legal standard of time in force in the State on that day.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

46. Sunset. “Sunset” means the time given for sunset as computed and established for Augusta, Maine, by the Nautical Almanac Office of the United States Naval Observatory for the particular day involved, converted to the legal standard of time in force in the State on that day.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

47. Suspension. “Suspension” means the revocation of a license, the right to obtain a license and the privilege to undertake the licensed activity, whether the suspension is temporary or permanent.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

48. Take, the verb. The verb “take” means to remove or attempt to remove a marine organism from its natural habitat.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

48-A. Total length. “Total length” means the greatest dimension between the most anteriorly projecting part of the head and the farthest tip of the caudal fin when the caudal rays are squeezed together. The measurement is a straight line and is not taken over the curve of the body.

[PL 1987, c. 690, §1 (NEW).]

48-B. Territorial waters. “Territorial waters” means all waters of the State within the rise and fall of the tide seaward to the 3-nautical-mile line as shown on the most recently published Federal Government nautical chart, but does not include areas above any fishway or dam when that fishway or dam is the dividing line between tidewater and fresh water.

[PL 2001, c. 272, §2 (NEW).]

49. Transfer. “Transfer” means to transport by boat on the water.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

50. Transport, the verb. The verb “transport” means to move an object from one place to another by any means other than to ship.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

51. Tub-trawl. “Tub-trawl” means a single line, with more than 5 hooks, including the commonly called tub-trawl, line trawl or long line.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

52. Tuna. “Tuna” means any finfish commonly known as tuna, including the horse mackerel.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

53. Vehicle. “Vehicle” means a machine or conveyance, including watercraft and aircraft, used to move or transport marine organisms.

[PL 1989, c. 742, §2 (RPR).]

54. Wholesale. “Wholesale” means sale, trade or service that is not directly to a consumer and is not retail.

[PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW).]

55. Whole scallop. “Whole scallop” means a cultured scallop in any form, except when the final product form is only the adductor muscle of the scallop or only the adductor muscle on the shell of the scallop.

[PL 2023, c. 207, §3 (AMD).]

56. Working waterfront or working waterfront property. “Working waterfront” or “working waterfront property ” means land, legally filled lands and piers and wharves and other improvements to land adjacent to the navigable coastal waters of the State and used by a commercial fisheries business.

[PL 2011, c. 266, Pt. B, §5 (NEW).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1977, c. 661, §5 (NEW). PL 1979, c. 541, §B13 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 590, §1 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 63 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 297, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 433, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 116, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 662, §1 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 24, §1 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 312, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 690, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 348, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 742, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 498, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 536, §§A1-4 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 536, §A13 (AFF). PL 1997, c. 91, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 123, §1 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 575, §1 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 7, §1 (AMD). PL 1999, c. 401, §BB2 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 112, §1 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 272, §§1,2 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 248, §1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 26, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 615, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 266, Pt. B, §§4, 5 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 598, §§2, 3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 225, §2 (AMD). RR 2021, c. 2, Pt. B, §§18-23 (COR). PL 2023, c. 207, §§1-3 (AMD).
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 601 Contents