Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher is also declining to comment on the proposal until Tuesdays hearing, a spokesman said. Comments are not available on this story. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. Maine Lobster License Rule - NECN Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. She is heading into her . Sunbeam Television Corp All tags will be shipped to the address on record in LEEDS. Rep. William Tuell, R-East Machias, said he is torn over what to do about the waitlist. . It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. All content Copyright 2000 - 2023 WHDH-TV. There is a waiting list to get a lobster fishing license. It is your responsibility to make sure the tags are ordered correctly. Lobsterman Jim Buxton climbs up from a dock where after checking on the bilge pump on his lobster fishing boat during frigid temperatures Thursday in Portland. Inmidcoastszone D, which ranges from Pemaquid east to Cape Rosier, 42 apprentices wait for a license, with the longest wait belonging to David Harmon of Charleston, who was listed in May 2007. The idea was if somebodys been on the list that long, it would be nice to offer them an alternative, McCreight said. Ones name will be removed from the list if they do not respond by Sept. 2. A potential change to lobster licenses in Maine (DOCK TALK PODCAST) - MCFA Holly Masterson takes the stern line from her stepfather and longtime business partner, David Horner, a lobsterman whos also chairman of the local lobster zone council. Please use our online licensing system, LEEDS at https://maine-dmr-leeds-prod.pegacloud.com/, for the fastest processing of your license and/or tag application. Lobstering Zones in Maine. He joined the Zone D waitlist in 2014. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. State lawmakers have proposed granting people licenses if they've been on the list for 10 years or more. PORTLAND, Maine Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. If the system is changed, some fear it could result in a lower trap limit now at 800 traps per lobsterman for most of the state that could hurt their profits even more. The proposal is up for a hearing on Tuesday before the Committee on Marine Resources. Sign up and get our top stories delivered daily to your inbox at 6 a.m. Dreaming of a lobster license, but trapped on a waitlist. Online Applications | Paper Applications | Landings Reports | Lobster Tags and Conservation Areas | Halibut Tags | Urchin Licenses | Elver Dealers, Online License Applications (LEEDS): https://maine-dmr-leeds-prod.pegacloud.com/. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"c1zG27wHNai5dMWqstawCfdcKbFoTNjrhMZ6GfCWxc8-1800-0"}; To get a license now, wouldbe lobstermen have to complete a lobster fishing apprentice program that takes at least two years. McDonald, a lobsterwoman from Stonington, said a particular problem is that the industry is faced with potential management changes to reduce interactions with the endangered North Atlantic right whale. If you are obtaining your license online through LEEDS, you MUST print off your license, as we do not print online licenses. 7 Bulfinch Place Even though its a complicated system, its a pretty good system, he said. The Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources approved changes to the licensing program in February. The issue of apprentice waits has come up before. Online Licensing System (LEEDS) The Maine Department of Marine Resources' online licensing and landings system, called LEEDS (Licensing Enforcement and Environmental Data System) is now available. Classmates in Rockland who had known enough to get student lobster licenses fished straight out of high school, butKvorjakcouldnt, so he enrolled at Maine Maritime Academy. Currently, Keliher said the ratios are determined by the number of traps a lobsterman holds in the final year of his or her license. More than 200 people are waiting in the wings for a lobstering license, which has long been a ticket to the middle class for working coastal Mainers. Long waits prompt Maine lobster licensing review - Boston.com Hed like to buy his stepfathers boat and traps so his stepfather can retire, but first he has to get his own license something he says is nearly impossible under existing rules. Paul LePage signed the bill into law this spring.The bill also raises the age for young lobstermen to automatically get a license when they finish an apprenticeship. Im very fortunate to have had another option, but some people dont. Please contact the landings program at 624-6550,Option 1, with regard to any landings reporting issues or concerns. It will be your responsibility to obtain the appropriate tag, as outlined below. But for the most part, lobstermen dont feel a pressing need to change the system, he said. If your vessel does not have a current or active federal permit - you will be issued non federal tags. The state Department of Marine Resources agrees that the waiting list for lobster licenses in most fishing zones along the coast is too long and, if possible, something should be done to reduce the time it takes to get a license. Comments are not available on this story. The bill also raises the age for young lobstermen to automatically get a license when they finish an apprenticeship. A licensing system put in place 15 years ago to protect the lobster population and lobster fishing community has resulted in long waits to get licenses. McCreight, the new co-chairwoman of the legislative committee that oversees lobster policy, wants to help what she considers a lost generation of Maine lobstermen thosesterningon boats along the states 3,500-mile coastline who cant gain full entry into the states most lucrative fishery because they didnt have their life plan mapped out in high school. I am concerned about people in this industry being able to make money. More than 200 people are waiting in the wings for a lobstering license, which has long been a ticket to the middle class for working coastal Mainers. It urged the state to allow zone councils to relax entry-to-exit ratios and to change the way they calculate the number of traps retired when a lobsterman gives up his license. Make sure all of your landings reports are up to date, and that you do not owe reports. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. Most zones allow lobstermen to fish up to 800 traps at a time, while some allow only 600 traps at a time. Scott Beede is one of 302 people on the waiting list for a Maine lobster license. But that adult apprentice who waits a decade to fish is no more threatening than the student-turned-commercial lobsterman who can enter even the most crowded zone at will,Kvorjaksaid. The list was initially set up to try to give everyone fair access, but its not worked out like that. AUGUSTA Lawmakers on the committee that handles marine resources issues voted Wednesday to make modest changes in the rules that control lobster fishing licenses in Maine, side-stepping a more controversial proposal for access to Maine's most lucrative fishery. She still works for Horner, even though he and her mom are no longer together. Not a lot of people can sit around for that long waiting to lobster. And my father should be able to retire.. If you need help with PDF files, visit http://www.maine.gov/portal/help/adobe_support.html. Sustainable Lobster Fishing | Maine Lobster Now 8. But she acknowledged that there is opposition to the idea, and shes expecting a lively hearing. He declined to take a personal stance on the issue until after the meeting. Children who finish their apprenticeships before they turn 18 can get a license when theyre 17, a provision aimed at preserving the tradition in lobster-fishing families. Incase the number of eggs you have removed is not easily deciphered; the fine ranges between $1,000 and $5,000 (Maine Legislature). You can share 5 more gift articles this month. Its hard to let any student in immediately, then have people waiting on a list for 15 years,Kvorjaksaid. If you owe reports your license will not be available to renew. Im 49 years old and should be able to haul my own traps. Im so discouraged now it just hurts, Gray said. Approved and Prohibited Freshwater Species, Lobster Fishing License and Trap Tag Counts, Maine Lobster Research, Education, and Development Board, Maine Lobster Limited Entry and Apprentice Program, Eligibility Criteria for Maine Students Who Want to Start Lobstering, Lobster and Other Trap/Pot Gear Modification Requirements, River Herring (Alewives and Blueback Herring), Maine DMR Online Licensing System Frequently Asked Questions, Maine Diver and Dive Tender License Safety Training Requirements, On-Line Harvester Catch & Landings Reporting, Maine Harvester Landing Reporting Form Examples, Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry (license), Tuna, Shark, and Other Large Species Information, Tips for Catch and Release of Striped Bass, Maine Saltwater Recreational Fishing Opportunities to Participate, Maine Saltwater Sport Fishing Tournaments for 2022, Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) Summary, Shellfish Closures and Aquaculture Leases Map, Maine Shellfish Dealer Certification and Inspection, Municipal Shellfish Conservation Warden Information, Phytoplankton Monitoring Form and Guides for Volunteers, Water Quality Monitoring Forms and Protocols, Maine Shellfish Dealer Sanitation and HACCP Guidelines Manual and Forms, Salmon Restoration and Conservation Program (ASRCP), "Experimental" (Limited Purpose) Lease Applications and Forms, Limited-Purpose Aquaculture (LPA) License Applications and Forms, Public Participation in Aquaculture Leasing, Atlantic Halibut Research Tags and Rewards, Maine - New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey, Data Dashboard, Reports, and Publications, Maine Coastal Program's Mapping Initiative, MCMI - Current Projects and Program Highlights, Habitat Restoration and Tools (Maine Stream Habitat Viewer), Job, Internship, and Volunteer Opportunities, Business and Economic Development Resources.
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