Maine Revised Statutes Title 12. Conservation § 6813. Sea Cucumber Management Fund

1. Fund established. The Sea Cucumber Management Fund, referred to in this section as the “fund,” is established as a dedicated, nonlapsing fund within the department. The commissioner may receive on behalf of the fund money from any source for the purposes described in subsection 2. All money received into the fund must be used for the purposes of the fund. Unexpended balances in the fund at the end of the fiscal year may not lapse but must be carried forward to the next fiscal year to be used for the purposes of the fund. Any interest earned on the money in the fund must be credited to the fund.

2. Purposes of fund. The commissioner shall use the fund to research and manage the State's sea cucumber fishery and to enforce the laws related to sea cucumbers.

3. Fees. The following fees must be assessed and credited to the fund. Every wholesale seafood license holder that purchases sea cucumbers shall keep, as a part of permanent records, a record of all sea cucumbers purchased at point of first sale. Every wholesale seafood license holder that purchases sea cucumbers shall, on or before the last day of each month, pay to the commissioner a fee of up to 20¢ for every 100 pounds reported as purchased. The commissioner shall establish by rule the amount of the fee and any procedural requirements for collection of the fee, including, but not limited to, reporting forms and monthly reporting of purchase amounts. Timely payment of the fee is a condition of renewal of the wholesale seafood license issued under section 6851. If it appears to the commissioner from an inspection of records or otherwise that an additional fee is due or overpayment has been made, additional assessments or refunds must be made by the commissioner to the wholesale seafood license holder.