January 14, 2019 — Maine might be the site of more shellfish research if a proposal before a state legislative committee is successful.
Democratic Rep. Robert Alley of Beals has issued the proposal, titled “An Act To Encourage Applied Shellfish Research.” The bill proposes a tweak to municipalities’ shellfish conservation ordinances, which currently regulate possession of shellfish and where they can be taken.
Alley’s proposal would allow research entities to contact research in conjunction with the Maine Department of Marine Resources to support shellfish conservation. It would also require annual reports about research findings.