Code of Maine Rules 13 - DEPARTMENT OF MARINE RESOURCES
Here’s a clear overview of Title 13 – Department of Marine Resources (Ch. 188 – Marine Resources – General) in the Code of Maine Rules:
📚 Structure & Content
Title 13 § 188 encompasses a wide range of regulations concerning marine and shellfish resources. These are organized into chapters addressing specific areas such as:
Ch. 1 – Watercraft Excise Tax Decal
Ch. 2 – Aquaculture Lease Regulations
Ch. 3 – Foreign Fish Processing within Maine’s Territorial Sea
Ch. 4 – Municipal Shellfish Conservation Warden Certification
Ch. 5 – Confidentiality of Fisheries Statistics
Ch. 6 – Lobster Processing
Ch. 7 – Requirements for Municipal Shellfish Conservation Programs
Ch. 8 – Landings Program
Ch. 9 – Shellstock Harvesting, Handling & Sanitation
Chs. 10–14 – Regulations for clams, scallops, mussels, whelks & periwinkles, oysters
Chs. 24, 25–60+ – Importation, lobsters/crabs, sea urchins, worms, groundfish, herring, freshwater and coastal fish, striped bass, shrimp, bait permits, gear restrictions, conservation areas, etc. (regulations.justia.com, maine.gov)
🔍 Example Highlight: Chapter 13 – Whelks & Periwinkles
Whelks: Prohibits harvest during night/weekends (summer), requires minimum shell length (2½ ”), trap marking, limit of 3 traps, size restrictions, compliance with biotoxin testing (maine.gov).
Periwinkles: Regulates mechanical harvest, sets drag size limits, minimum size via density count (≤ 220 per quart), prohibition on night dragging, licensing requirements, and personal-use allowance (up to 2 quarts) (maine.gov).
📄 Accessing the Rules
Justia provides a directory listing all chapters under Title 13 § 188 (regulations.justia.com).
Maine.gov (SOS) hosts downloadable Word or PDF versions of each chapter—for example, Ch. 13 (Word) for whelks/periwinkles (maine.gov).
✅ How to Proceed
Let me know if you'd like:
The full text of a specific chapter (e.g., Clams, Oysters, Aquaculture leases, etc.)
A detailed summary of regulations for a certain species or area
Help finding related state statutes or enforcement guidelines
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