Maine § 12602. - Violation of number, amount, weight or size limits

§ 12602.. Violation of number, amount, weight or size limits

A person may not:   [PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]

1.  Fish in violation of certain rules.  Fish in violation of the number, amount, weight or size limits established by rules adopted by the commissioner;

2.  Possess fish in violation of certain rules.  Possess fish in violation of the number, amount, weight or size limits established by rules adopted by the commissioner;

3.  Alter fish from their natural state prior to measuring for bag limit.  When rules adopted by the commissioner limit the volume of fish that may be taken, alter those fish from or possess fish altered from their natural state prior to their being measured for compliance with the volume limit; or

4.  Violation of certain Department of Marine Resources rules; striped bass.  Fish for striped bass in inland waters or possess striped bass taken from inland waters in a number, amount or size that exceeds the number, amount or size limits for striped bass established by rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171. Notwithstanding section 6002 or any provision of law to the contrary, for purposes of this subsection only, the number, amount and size limits for striped bass established by rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171 apply to the inland waters of the State.

A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime. The court shall also impose a fine of $20 for each fish unlawfully possessed, none of which may be suspended, except that, in the case of smelt limits, the court shall impose a fine of $20 for each quart over the limit, none of which may be suspended.   [PL 2019, c. 325, §7 (AMD).]

A person who fishes for striped bass in or possesses striped bass taken from the coastal waters of the State in violation of rules adopted by the Commissioner of Marine Resources under section 6171 is subject to the provisions of section 6174.   [PL 2019, c. 224, §4 (NEW).]