Maine Revised Statutes Title 12. Conservation § 12509. Permit to import live freshwater fish or eggs

1. Permit required. Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this Part, a person may not introduce, import or transport any live fish or fish eggs into the State or receive or have in that person's possession fish or fish eggs so introduced, imported or transported without a valid permit issued under this section.

2. Issuance. The commissioner may grant permits to introduce, import or transport any live fish or fish eggs into the State or to receive or have in possession fish or fish eggs so introduced, imported or transported if the commissioner determines that the species does not pose an unreasonable risk to any species of fish or other organism after evaluating fish health, habitat and population management issues. The commissioner may not adopt rules or issue permits governing any aspect of either the commercial aquaculture of Atlantic salmon when intended for use in commercial aquaculture in coastal waters, or in land-based aquaculture facilities, or the Atlantic salmon restoration program.

3. Application. Importers shall, when requesting a permit issued pursuant to subsection 2, provide the commissioner with the following information:

4. Rules. The commissioner may adopt rules allowing the possession and importation of certain species of tropical fish and goldfish without a permit, for aquarium purposes only, if the commissioner determines that the species does not pose an unreasonable risk to any species of fish or other organism after evaluating fish health, habitat and population management issues. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.  1