APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 10, 2025 251
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
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IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
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H.P. 1143 - L.D. 1708
An Act to Create the Commercial Fishing Safety Fund to Further Develop
Training and Provide Equipment to Recover Ships and Other Watercraft
and Persons in Distress or Lost at Sea
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §6035-A is enacted to read:
§6035-A. Commercial Fishing Safety Fund
The Commercial Fishing Safety Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is
established within the department.
1. Sources. The commissioner may receive donations and funding from any source
on behalf of the fund. All money received into the fund must be used for the purposes of
the fund.
2. Use of fund. The commissioner shall use the fund to support activities related to
improving safety in the commercial fishing industry and improving the department's ability
to conduct search and rescue and recovery operations, including the acquisition of
necessary equipment. The commissioner shall consult with the Commercial Fishing Safety
Council established in section 6034 in making expenditures from the fund.
3. Interest and balances credited to fund. Any interest earned on the money in the
fund must be credited to the fund. Unexpended balances in the fund at the end of the fiscal
year do not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year and credited to the fund
to be used for the purposes of this section.
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and
allocations are made.
MARINE RESOURCES, DEPARTMENT OF
Commercial Fishing Safety Fund N534
Initiative: Provides baseline allocation to establish the account.
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS 2025-26 2026-27
All Other $500 $500
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OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL $500 $500
Page 2 - 132LR2440(03)