DMR is providing notice of a proposed rule amending Chapter 8 (Landings Program), impacting holders of a number of different license types, including lobster.
  
In the lobster fishery, the proposed rule would implement 100% electronic harvester reporting for commercial lobster license holders.   As important background for this proposed regulation:

• Under the ASMFC’s American Lobster Management Plan Addendum XXVI, the Maine lobster fishery must move to 100% harvester reporting.  
• DMR also included 100% harvester reporting in the state’s right whale plan submitted to NMFS in January 2020.
• Maine DMR is proposing to implement this requirement beginning January 1, 2023.
• Required reports would be trip level data, reported monthly.  
• The purpose of transitioning from 10% to 100% harvester reporting is to improve the information on fishing effort and location, and maintain compliance with the ASMFC lobster management plan. 
• Without this information, Maine’s lobster industry suffers from broad assumptions about the spatial distribution of the lobster fleet, and its overlap with right whales.   
• In preparation to meet this requirement, DMR has developed a new app (VESL) that will allow lobstermen to report electronically using their phone.
• Harvesters will also have the option to report through the online licensing system LEEDS.
• DMR will provide training and support as necessary for license holders who have not previously used electronic reporting options. 
  
  

Below, please find the summary of the proposed regulation, as well as information on the public hearing and opportunities to comment.

BRIEF SUMMARY: This proposed rulemaking makes changes to the reporting requirements for scallop, herring, lobster, and pelagic and anadromous license holders. It changes the frequency of reporting for scallop license holders from trip level data reported monthly to trip level data reported weekly (no later than 11:59 pm Sunday) and requires that reports are submitted via an approved electronic mechanism. The data elements in the scallop harvester report remain unchanged. The proposed rule also extends the time frame for which daily reporting is required in the herring fishery, from September 30 to December 30 annually. The data elements in the herring harvester report remain unchanged. The proposed rule requires all lobster license holders (except apprentice and noncommercial license holders) to report trip level data monthly, and requires reports to be submitted via an approved electronic mechanism. The data elements required in the lobster harvester report remain unchanged. Finally, the proposed rule clarifies that pelagic and anadromous license holders only need to report those species authorized under the pelagic and anadromous license.

Date, time and location of PUBLIC HEARING (if any): August 30, 2022, 5:00 p.m., in-person at the Marquardt Building, room 118, 32 Blossom Lane, Augusta; or remotely via Microsoft Teams. Remote access information is posted to DMR’s website under “Meetings.”

For information on how to join the hearing, please visit: www.maine.gov/dmr. Instructions will be posted on DMR’s homepage under meetings and events.

COMMENT DEADLINE: September 9, 2022

How to comment: 

1. Send an email to: [email protected]
2. Mail a written letter to: Amanda Ellis, 21 State House Station, Augusta Maine 04333-0021
3. Fax your letter to 207-624-6024 
4. Attend the public hearings in person or remotely to offer oral testimony on the proposed rulemaking. 
   
   RRMAPA3_Landing reports_WEBFINAL.pdf

 

 

 

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