Page 12. MAINE COASTAL NEWS July 2014 Commercial Fishing News
Suspension Process Begun for Orland Lobsterman Accused of Violation of Marine Resources Law
NEWS FROM MAINE DEPARTMENT OF RESOURSES
Maine Department of Marine Re- sources Commissioner Patrick Keliher has initiated the process necessary to suspend the license of lobsterman Theodore Gray,
34, of Orland for three years for violation of Maine marine resources law. While the pending suspension is the result of a May 9 charge against Gray for molesting lobster equipment, Gray was also charged with possession of 123 short lobsters and 269 v-notched lobsters, both of which are Class D crimes with a possibility of a year in jail for each violation and a combined possible fi ne of over $100,000.
“Compounding the trap molesting
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charge are two of the most appalling viola- tions of Maine’s lobster laws in decades,” added Commissioner Keliher. “The charges for possession of hundreds of short lobsters and v-notched lobsters make this case a top priority for me, and I am committed to taking quick and decisive action against anyone who so deliberately disregards Maine’s critically important marine resources con- servation laws.”
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The trap molesting charge stemmed from an investigation by Marine Patrol Of- fi cers who found Gray in possession more than 20 lobster traps that belonged to another harvester. “Molesting traps, which includes possessing someone else’s traps, has long been considered one of the most serious violations within the lobster fi shery,” said Commissioner Keliher. Under Maine law, the Commissioner is authorized to administratively suspend the license of anyone licensed by the Depart- ment of Marine Resources for violation of marine resources laws. The law permits the Commissioner to suspend a license, after a review of evidence from the investigation of criminal or civil violations, without waiting for a conviction.
“The ability to administratively sus- pend is a critically important mechanism
for removing an offender from the fi shery quickly and to eliminate the potential for tensions with other harvesters to escalate,” said Commissioner Keliher. “In a situation like this, with an individual who has been charged with such egregious violations, there is a very real potential for problems within a community should he remain in the fi shery.”
“The vast majority of Maine’s licensed lobstermen abide by our state’s laws,” said Keliher. “In cases like this, the ability to act swiftly and to have suffi cient penalties in place provides the Department of Marine Resources the necessary tools to protect Maine’s most valuable fi shery and to safe- guard the livelihood of those who follow the laws that sustain it.”
Maine’s 2014 Elver Season a Success for Roll Out of New Swipe Card and Quota Systems
The 2014 elver season, which conclud- ed May 31, was characterized by less than one tenth the number of poaching violations of last year.
“This season exceeded my expectations in terms of the performance of the new swipe card system and the outcome of the individ- ual quota system,” said Maine Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher. “One of the main challenges for the department last season, as the value exceeded $2,000 per pound, was poaching, which contributed to a total of 219 violations in 2013 related to fi shing without a license. This season, as a result of the new swipe card system and the individual fi shing quotas which were intended to discourage illegal traffi cking of elvers by unlicensed harvest- ers, the total number of violations related
to fi shing without a license has declined dramatically.” To-date, Maine Marine Patrol reports that have been entered into the DMR database show just 15 violations of laws associated with unlicensed harvesting. “This drastic decline in violations is strong testament to the success of the new system,” said Commissioner Keliher. “The new swipe card system and individual fi shing quotas have dramatically reduced illegal activity in Maine, improved our capacity to manage this critically important marine resource, and reduced the enforcement burden on neighboring states.” Overall, violation of elver-related laws decreased from 371 last season to 71 this season.
Preliminary reports indicate that Maine harvesters landed approximately 86 percent of the total overall quota. These numbers are likely to increase as fi nal landings re- ports are calculated. There are a number of factors the department is still assessing that possibly contributed to the shortfall. Potential factors include the cold weather that Maine experienced this spring which slowed the migration of elvers. Harvesting activity during the fi rst week of the season was also slow, with the most participants on any single day totaling 33 out of the approx- imately 950 licensed harvesters. In addition, based on landings reports there were 887 active harvesters of which 371 reached their individual quotas. “We will continue to assess all aspects of this season’s harvesting activity, regu- latory and statutory changes, and enforce- ment efforts as we begin planning for next season,” said Commissioner Keliher. “I am confi dent that the swipe card system, be- cause it has proven to be such an effective management tool, will continue to be a part of this fi shery and that we will be rolling it out into other fi sheries in the future. “I am also very pleased with the service
of Bluefi n Data, LLC, the vendor we chose for the swipe card system,” said Commis- sioner Keliher. “Not only did the system work nearly fl awlessly, they provided timely and expert technical support which was critical in managing a system like this.” Plans for the future of the elver fi shery in Maine will be discussed during two At- lantic States Marine Fisheries Commission public hearings on June 30. The fi rst will be from 10:00 AM to Noon in the Natural Re- sources Service Center Conference Room at 6 Beech Street in Hallowell. The second will be from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Jeff’s Catering and Event Center at 15 Littlefi eld Way in Brewer. For more information on the public hearings, visit
www.maine.gov/dmr.
Maine Department of Marine Resources Concludes Annual Assessment of Atlan- tic Salmon Smolt Population The Maine Department of Marine Resources Division of Sea-run Fisheries and Habitat staff recently concluded annual assessments of Atlantic salmon smolt pop- ulations in the Narraguagus River, the East Machias River, the Piscataquis River, and the Sheepscot River. The work will help the Department and its partners at the state and federal level understand the status of Atlantic Salmon and the quality of habitat in Maine waters.
The four rivers are chosen because their geographic range provides an indicator of Atlantic Salmon and habitat health along the coast. A smolt is the life stage of Atlantic salmon that transitions from freshwater river and stream habitats to saltwater coastal and open ocean areas.
Listed as an Endangered Species since Continued on Page 20.
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