On April 4, the Groundfish Subcommittee of the Marine Resources Committee recommended the full Committee vote to approve the following package:

• Per=pound rebates on groundfish (and monkfish) landings to replace the foregone revenue from bycatch lobster.
• Vastly reduced ice charges for Maine groundfishermen, also part of replacing foregone lobster revenue.
• Transportation reimbursement for vessels trucking their fish to their preferred market in Maine.
• A $5m revolving loan fund for low-interest debt refinancing.

As this is a new bill, it requires a new public hearing.  A hearing will be held on Wednesday April 11 at 1:00 pm, in Room 214 of the Cross Office Building in Augusta - though it is unclear if this hearing will be to craft final language of the bill, or conduct the actual public hearing for the completed bill.

The Subcommittee also recommended elimination of Maine's diesel fuel sales tax for groundfish vessels.  This measure is addressed in a separate bill written by the Exchange, LD 1570: "An Act To Support Commercial Groundfishing."  The public hearing for that bill will be held on Monday April 9 at 10:00 a.m., also in Room 214 of the Cross building.