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LD214 • 2025

An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry

An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Allison Hepler
Last action
2025-05-30
Official status
Signed by the Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry

An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry Sponsor: Representative Allison Hepler Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry Sponsor: Representative Allison Hepler Reference committee: Marine Resources Governor action: Signed by the Governor

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Adopted by House & Senate

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR0356(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR0356(02) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 214 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3MARINE RESOURCES 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.
Filed

Plain English: Page 1 - 132LR0356(03) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.

  • Page 1 - 132LR0356(03) COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 1 L.D.
  • 214 2 Date: (Filing No.
  • H- ) 3MARINE RESOURCES 4 Reproduced and distributed under the direction of the Clerk of the House.
  • 5STATE OF MAINE 6HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 7132ND LEGISLATURE 8FIRST SPECIAL SESSION 9 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT “ ” to H.P.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-30 Governor

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-05-28 House

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED . Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.

  3. 2025-05-28 Senate

    PASSED TO BE ENACTED , in concurrence.

  4. 2025-05-20 Committee

    Reported Out; OTP-AM/OTP-AM

  5. 2025-03-13 Committee

    Work Session Held

  6. 2025-03-13 Committee

    Voted; Divided Report

  7. 2025-01-16 Committee

    Referred to Committee on Marine Resources.

Official Summary Text

An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry
Sponsor:
Representative Allison Hepler
Reference committee:
Marine Resources
Governor action:
Signed by the Governor

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Page 1 - 132LR0356(04)
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 137 - L.D. 214
An Act to Create a For-hire Charter Boat Operator License and to Require
Individuals Recreationally Fishing for Halibut in Coastal Waters to Register
with the Saltwater Recreational Fishing Registry
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6312, sub-§3, ¶B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 421, §2, is further
amended to read:
B. A passenger on board a vessel captained by an individual who possesses a valid
recreational fishing for-hire charter boat operator's license pursuant to subsection 5
section 6313;
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §6312, sub-§3, ¶H, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 421, §2, is
amended to read:
H. A person who has employed the guiding services of an individual who possesses a
current guide license for tidewater fishing as provided by rule pursuant to section 12853
and a valid recreational fishing for-hire charter boat operator's license pursuant to
subsection 5 section 6313;
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §6312, sub-§3-A is enacted to read:
3-A. Registration required for fishing for halibut. Notwithstanding subsection 3,
an individual fishing for halibut in the coastal waters of the State is required to register and
obtain recreational halibut tags.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §6312, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 421, §2, is further
amended to read:
5. Recreational fishing operator's license. The following persons are eligible to hold
a recreational fishing operator's license issued by the commissioner:
A. A captain of a vessel licensed to carry passengers for hire for saltwater recreational
fishing;
B. A person operating a business that rents smelt fishing camps for saltwater
recreational smelt fishing; and
APPROVED
MAY 30, 2025
BY GOVERNOR
CHAPTER
155
PUBLIC LAW
Page 2 - 132LR0356(04)
C. A person who owns a private dock, pier or wharf and makes that wharf available to
customers for the purpose of recreational fishing as part of a commercial enterprise;
and.
D. An individual who possesses a current guide license for tidewater fishing as
provided by rule pursuant to section 12853.
A person who holds a recreational fishing operator's license shall collect data from persons
who engage in saltwater recreational fishing and report the data to the commissioner as
specified by the commissioner by rule.
There is no fee for a recreational fishing operator's license.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §6313 is enacted to read:
§6313. For-hire charter boat operator's license
1. License required. A person may not engage in the activities authorized under this
section without a current for-hire charter boat operator's license.
2. Licensed activity. The holder of a for-hire charter boat operator's license may take
paying passengers recreationally fishing for fish in the coastal waters of the State on the
vessel identified on that for-hire charter boat operator's license. The license does not
authorize the holder or the holder's passengers to sell any fish taken under this license.
3. Agent fees. A fee may not be charged for a for-hire charter boat operator's license
under this section. A person seeking a license through an agent may be charged an agent
fee of $2. A person seeking a license through a publicly accessible online electronic system
for licensing may be charged an agent fee of $1. A person seeking a license at an office of
the department from a department employee may be charged an agent fee of $1.
4. Eligibility. A for-hire charter boat operator's license may be issued only to an
individual. A for-hire charter boat operator's license may be issued to an individual only if
the individual:
A. Possesses a valid United States merchant marine document issued by the United
States Coast Guard for an operator of uninspected passenger vessel or master or mate
captain's license; or
B. Holds a current guide license for tidewater fishing as provided by rule pursuant to
section 12853.
5. Violation. A person who violates this section commits a civil violation for which a
fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged.
Sec. 6. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.