Public Hearing, Regulations: Ch 26 Sea Urchin: 2024-2025 Season

Date: August 19, 2024

Time: 5:00 p.m.

Location: 32 Blossom Lane room 118 and online via Teams

Town: Augusta and online

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking:

Chapter 26 Sea Urchin; 2024-2025 Season

BRIEF SUMMARY: This regulation would establish open harvest days and tote limits for the taking of sea urchins by divers, rakers, trappers, and draggers in Zones 1 and 2 for the 2024-2025 season. For Zone 1, seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2024-2025, from which harvesters may only fish up to 15 days of their choosing, the same number of days allowed during the 2023-2024 season. For Zone 1, the daily tote limit is nine (9). For Zone 2, 40-day seasons are proposed for divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2024-2025, from which harvesters may only fish up to 30 days of their choosing. This proposal has the same number of fishing days and opportunity days as the 2023-2024 season. For the Whiting & Dennys Bays Limited Access Area in Zone 2, a 12-day season is proposed for Zone 2 divers, trappers, rakers and draggers in 2024-2025, 3 days less than the 2023-2024 season due to the contraction of the calendars. For Zone 2, the daily tote limit is six (6).

Harvesters are permitted to defer sale of daily catch and increase on-shore possession by the daily tote limit per zone multiplied by the number of open harvest days each week. All catch must be sold weekly on Fridays, 11:59 p.m. If there is no sale transaction, the harvester is required to report their daily landing electronically. All on-shore catch must be tagged by harvester, indicating landings number, harvester name and date of harvest.

Date, time and location of PUBLIC HEARING (if any):
• August 19, 2024, 5:00 p.m., DMR HQ, room 118 Marquardt Building (32 Blossom Lane, Augusta ME), with an option to participate remotely via Microsoft Teams. For information on how to join the hearing, please visit: https://www.maine.gov/dmr/home . Instructions will be posted on DMR’s homepage under meetings and events.

COMMENT DEADLINE: August 30, 2024

How to comment:

1. Send an email to: dmr.rulemaking@maine.gov

2. Mail a written letter to: Deirdre Gilbert, 21 State House Station, Augusta Maine 04333-0021

3. Fax your letter to 207-624-6024

4. Attend the public hearing in person or remotely to offer oral testimony on the proposed rulemaking.

Any questions related to the proposed rulemaking and the urchin fishery, please contact Melissa Smith at melissa.smith@maine.gov or 207-441-5040.