1. Prohibition. Except as provided in subsection 2, a person may not deposit any meat, bones, dead fish, parts of meat, bones, or dead fish or other food for fish for the purpose of luring fish, a practice known as “advance baiting.”

[PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]

Attorney's Note

Under the Maine Revised Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class E crimeup to 6 monthsup to $1,000
For details, see Me. Rev. Stat. Title 17-A § 1604

Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 12657

  • Baitfish: means only those species in the following list:
A. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 10001
  • Fish: means a cold-blooded, completely aquatic vertebrate characteristically having gills, fins and an elongated streamlined body usually covered with scales and includes any physical part of a fish. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 10001
  • Person: means a human being or an organization. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 10001
  • Trap: means a device that is designed primarily to catch or hold wild animals, including, but not limited to, a foothold trap, a killer-type trap, a cage-type trap or a snare. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 12 Sec. 10001
  • 2. Exception. A person may place food particles in a baitfish trap for the purpose of luring baitfish.

    [PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]

    3. Penalty. The following penalties apply to violations of this section.
    A. A person who violates subsection 1 commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 may be adjudged. [PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §279 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §422 (AFF).]
    B. A person who violates subsection 1 after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime. [PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §279 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §422 (AFF).]

    [PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF); PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §279 (RPR); PL 2003, c. 655, Pt. B, §422 (AFF).]

    SECTION HISTORY

    PL 2003, c. 414, §A2 (NEW). PL 2003, c. 414, §D7 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 655, §B279 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 655, §B422 (AFF).