[font=font36821]AGENCY: Department of Marine Resources[/font]
[font=font36821]CHAPTER NUMBER AND TITLE:[/font] Chapter 25.65; Lobster and Crab Closure in Penobscot River
[font=font36821]CONCISE SUMMARY:[/font]
The Commissioner adopts this emergency rulemaking in order to protect public health due to the risk of mercury contamination in lobsters and crabs found in the mouth of the Penobscot River north of a line starting at the westernmost point of Perkins Point in the Town of Castine continuing in a northwesterly direction to the southern most point on Squaw Point on Cape Jellison in the Town of Stockton Springs. In 2013, DMR received data warranting the current closure in the mouth of the river, and undertook confirmation work to provide the basis for future management or public health decisions. Based on analysis of the data collected in 2014 through the confirmation work, DMR determined that a consumption advisory is warranted for lobster taken from an expanded area south of the existing closure. Because this remains a discrete area and in order to be health protective, DMR is instead taking immediate action to expand the existing closed area. While the confirmation work did not show levels of concern for crabs, the area will remain closed to the harvest of crabs due to enforcement constraints. For these reasons, the Commissioner hereby adopts an emergency closure to the taking of lobster and crab in this area as authorized by 12 M.R.S. §6171-A(4-A) and 12 M.R.S. §6192.
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 21, 2016
[font=font36821]AGENCY CONTACT PERSON: Hannah Dean
AGENCY NAME: Department of Marine Resources
ADDRESS: 21 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0021
WEB SITE: http://www.maine.gov/dmr/rulemaking/
E-MAIL: hannah.dean@maine.gov
TELEPHONE: (207) 624-6573
FAX: (207) 624-6024
TTY: (207) 633-9500 (Deaf/Hard of Hearing)[/font]
June 21, 2016
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