reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
RI Gen L § 20-4-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-4 - Otter trawls, pair trawls, and beam trawls - Penalties.

§ 20-4-4. Otter trawls, pair trawls, and beam trawls — Penalties.Any person who operates an otter, beam, or pair trawl or other mechanical trawling device without a license as provided in § 20-4-3, shall, upon conviction, be fined five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense, or may be imprisoned not exceeding thirty (30) days, or both. In addition to any fines imposed for failure to secure a license, the person shall be subject to the same penalties as set forth in § 20-1-16 should the person set a beam, pair, or otter trawl or other mechanical trawling device in areas prohibited by § 20-4-2 or rules adopted under this section.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-4-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-5 - Report of commercial fisheries.

§ 20-4-5. Report of commercial fisheries.The owner and/or operator of every boat and/or operator of any device licensed pursuant to this title for the taking or landing of marine organisms for commercial purposes in the state of Rhode Island, or any person issued a license by the director for such purposes, and any dealer of marine organisms licensed pursuant to this title shall, upon request of the department, make either a telephone report, or a written report, or both. Written reports shall be made on forms furnished by the department of environmental management and shall include catch and effort data and any other fishery data that may be required by the director. The reports shall not be made public and shall be kept only for statistical purposes. Failure to comply with the reporting requirements set out in this section or knowingly or willfully making a false report is prohibited. The license or permit of any person found in violation of this section or regulation duly promulgated thereto may be suspended for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days for each offense. No application for a license renewal shall be accepted from a person whose license or permit is currently under suspension or whose reports have not been submitted. Catch reports must be submitted at a time and in a format specified by the director; provided, however, that any such reporting requirements shall not be unreasonable and shall not create an undue burden.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 1992, ch. 133, art. 17, § 4; P.L. 1999, ch. 469, § 1.
RI Gen L § 20-4-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-6 - Repealed.

§ 20-4-6. Repealed.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; Repealed by P.L. 1999, ch. 469, § 2, effective July 8, 1999. For present similar provisions, see § 20-4-5.
RI Gen L § 20-4-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-7 - Marking of traps.

§ 20-4-7. Marking of traps.The owner of every trap, pot, or other stationary contrivance used for the taking of marine fish, shellfish, crustaceans, or other invertebrates being fished in the waters of this state, and the owner of any trap or pot for catching, or cars or other contrivances for keeping lobsters, shall mark each trap, pot, or contrivance, together with the buoy that is attached to it, with the name or names of the owners of the contrivance or the person or persons using the contrivance, and the license number or numbers of each person or persons. Every person failing to mark each trap as provided in this section shall be fined not less than twenty dollars ($20.00), nor more than five hundred dollars ($500), for each offense and all traps, pots, or other contrivances used contrary to the provisions of this and other sections of this chapter shall be seized by any officer engaged in the enforcement of this chapter; and the property shall be forfeited to the state.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-4-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-8 - Unauthorized raising of traps, pots, and devices.

§ 20-4-8. Unauthorized raising of traps, pots, and devices.No person except the director, enforcement officers, and authorized technical personnel of the department shall unduly disturb, lift, raise, molest, or remove any animal from a trap, pot, or any other device of a person licensed under this title without the written permission of that person.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 1986, ch. 204, § 1.
RI Gen L § 20-4-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-9 - Striped bass - Minimum size.

§ 20-4-9. Striped bass — Minimum size.Unless otherwise specified in regulations adopted by the marine fisheries council, no person shall take in any manner whatsoever from the territorial waters of this state, including the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, or have in his or her possession, any striped bass measuring less than sixteen inches (16") in length. Striped bass shall be measured from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-4-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-10 - Possession or sale of undersize bass - Interstate commerce.

§ 20-4-10. Possession or sale of undersize bass — Interstate commerce.No person, firm, or corporation shall take, possess, sell, possess for sale, or offer for sale any striped bass measuring less than sixteen inches (16") in length, whether caught within the jurisdictional limits of this state or otherwise; provided, however, that this chapter shall not apply to striped bass packed and in transportation in unbroken packages and coming from any other state or country and destined for some point outside the state of Rhode Island; provided, that the packages shall be clearly marked by stencil, tag, or otherwise, showing the true origin of the shipment and its destination beyond the limits of the state of Rhode Island.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-4-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-11 - Repealed.

§ 20-4-11. Repealed.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; Repealed by P.L. 2011, ch. 357, § 2; P.L. 2011, ch. 369, § 2, effective July 13, 2011.
RI Gen L § 20-4-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-12 - Striped bass - Use of nets and seines prohibited - Traps.

§ 20-4-12. Striped bass — Use of nets and seines prohibited — Traps.Unless otherwise specified by regulation of the marine fisheries council, no person, firm, or corporation shall take, or attempt to take, with or by the use of a net, seine, or any other contrivance of any kind or description except by hook and line, spear, or by fish traps authorized under authority of chapter 5 of this title, as amended, any striped bass from the public waters of this state northerly of a line commencing at upper pier in the town of Narragansett and extending in a straight line in a northeasterly direction to Beavertail Lighthouse and thence continuing in a northeasterly direction in a straight line to Castle Hill Lighthouse in the city of Newport; nor shall any person, firm, or corporation take, or attempt to take, with or by the use of a seine, any striped bass from the beach in the town of Charlestown for a distance of three (3) miles to the east of Charlestown Inlet; provided, however, that it shall not be a violation of this section for any person to take striped bass by means of the seine, net, or other contrivance while fishing for other fish for the catching of which the use of the seine, net, or other contrivance is permitted if the striped bass is immediately returned to the waters from which taken; provided further, however, at all fish traps, between September first and October fourteenth in any year, there is no obstruction, except the trap anchor warp of the leader within one hundred fifty feet (150′) from the mean high water mark on shore that will stop the free passage of striped bass. For the purpose of this chapter, a "trap anchor warp" is any cable, wire, line, or like material or device, and shall not exceed three inches (3") in diameter.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-4-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4 - Commercial Fisheries|Section 20-4-13 - Commercial gill net fishery - License or permit required.

§ 20-4-13. Commercial gill net fishery — License or permit required.It shall be unlawful for any person to set, haul, and/or maintain a commercial gill net in the public waters of the state without first obtaining a license or permit as provided in § 20-2.1-5(2)(ii)(C). Any person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.History of Section.P.L. 1984, ch. 305, § 2; P.L. 2017, ch. 451, § 26.
RI Gen L § 20-4.1-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4.1 - Menhaden Management Area|Section 20-4.1-1 - Designation of menhaden management area.

§ 20-4.1-1. Designation of menhaden management area.Narragansett Bay in its entirety is designated a menhaden management area. The area shall include the east and west passages of Narragansett Bay, Mt. Hope Bay, and the Sakonnet River, and be bordered on the south by a line from Bonnet Point to Beavertail Point to Castle Hill Light. The southern boundary will then extend from Land's End to Sachuset Point and then to Sakonnet Point. All sections of the management area north of a line from Spink Neck in the town of North Kingstown to Pine Hill Point on Prudence Island and from a point at Homestead Dock on the easterly shore of Prudence Island, thence northeasterly to Hog Island Shoal Light, thence to the most easterly end of the Mt. Hope Bridge in the town of Portsmouth, and north of a line extending from McCurry Point, so called, on the east side of the town of Portsmouth northeasterly in a line to the southerly point of Jack's Island, so called, in the town of Tiverton will be permanently closed to the taking of menhaden for reduction purposes by the use of purse seines.History of Section.P.L. 1996, ch. 359, § 1.
RI Gen L § 20-4.1-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4.1 - Menhaden Management Area|Section 20-4.1-2 - Areas where purse seining allowed.

§ 20-4.1-2. Areas where purse seining allowed.All sections of the management area where purse seining for menhaden is allowed will be open as determined by the department of environmental management.History of Section.P.L. 1996, ch. 359, § 1.
RI Gen L § 20-4.1-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-4.1 - Menhaden Management Area|Section 20-4.1-3 - Prohibition on the taking of menhaden.

§ 20-4.1-3. Prohibition on the taking of menhaden.(a) (1) The taking of menhaden for reduction purposes (fish meal) is prohibited in Rhode Island and all state waters. A vessel will be considered in the reduction (fish meal) business if any portion of the vessel's catch is sold for reduction purposes.(2) The director of environmental management shall have the power to make emergency rules regarding this prohibition to protect the public health and safety from an unexpected hazard or risk. The marine fisheries council shall be notified of all emergency rules on or before their effective date.(b) These restrictions shall in no way prevent the taking of menhaden by purse seine for bait, chum, or purposes other than fish meal reduction.History of Section.P.L. 1996, ch. 359, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 213, § 1.
RI Gen L § 20-5-1 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-1 - Fish traps - Permit required.

§ 20-5-1. Fish traps — Permit required.It shall be unlawful for any person to set a fish trap in the public waters of the state without first obtaining a permit as provided in this chapter. For the purposes of this chapter, "fish trap" means stub and floating traps, weirs, pounds, nets, or any other equivalent contrivance or thing set on, in, or anchored to the bottom or shore used for the purpose of catching fish.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-2 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-2 - Persons to whom permits issuable.

§ 20-5-2. Persons to whom permits issuable.The department of environmental management may issue permits duly signed and under its seal to set or erect and maintain fish traps, as provided in this chapter, to any resident of this state or to any corporations incorporated in the state, licensed in accordance with chapter 2.1 of this title, upon payment of an additional permit fee of twenty dollars ($20.00) per trap location for the permit period prescribed by § 20-5-9 for each permit.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-3 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-3 - Application for permit.

§ 20-5-3. Application for permit.(a) Any person desiring a permit for a location for erecting a fish trap shall make application in writing to the department of environmental management in any form and giving any information that the department may require.(b) Each application for a location for a fish trap shall fix definitely the position of the desired location, with reference to prominent points on shore, and shall also show the dimensions of the trap and of the leader to be set in the desired location, and any other details the department may require.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-4 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-4 - Distance between traps - Length of trap leader.

§ 20-5-4. Distance between traps — Length of trap leader.Except as provided in § 20-5-5, no permit shall be granted for the erection within the public waters of the state of a fish trap any part of which is less than three thousand feet (3,000′) distant from an adjoining trap, measured parallel with the general coastline at such point as determined by the department of environmental management, or for a greater length of trap and leader than two hundred eighty (280) fathoms; provided, that the department of environmental management may grant a permit for the erection of a fish trap within a lesser distance of three thousand feet (3,000′) from an adjoining trap if the parties interested agree in writing to a lesser distance.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-5 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-5 - Restricted locations off Rhode Island and Sakonnet River.

§ 20-5-5. Restricted locations off Rhode Island and Sakonnet River.No permit shall be granted for the erection of a fish trap within that portion of the public waters of the state southerly of the island of Rhode Island, designated by the engineer's office of the department of the army as available fishing areas, lying easterly of Brenton's Reef and southerly of a line drawn from Coggeshall's Point to Sakonnet Light, except as follows:Permits may be granted for the erection of traps:(1) Southeasterly from Seal Rock, so-called, in a line on range of White Church in Saunderstown over Seal Rock to the offshore limits of the outer area designated by the engineer's office of the department of the army; provided, that all traps on this line shall be of equal length including leaders and shall be so limited in length that permits for eight (8) traps may be granted;(2) Southeasterly from Flat Rock, so-called, on the easterly side of Coggeshall's Point, in a line to the offshore limits of the inner or "summer" area designated by the engineer's office of the department of the army;(3) In a line from the westerly side of Price's Neck, so-called, southwesterly for a distance not exceeding one thousand five hundred feet (1,500′); provided, that not more than two (2) traps shall be permitted in this line;(4) In a line from the easterly side of Price's Neck, so-called, southeasterly for a distance not exceeding three thousand three hundred feet (3,300′);(5) Southeasterly from Coggeshall's Point in a line to the eastern limits of the outer area designated by the engineer's office of the department of the army;(6) Southerly from Cormorant Rock, so-called, in a line for a distance of not exceeding seven thousand feet (7,000′);(7) For two (2) traps only on the line constituting the offshore limits of the outer area designated by the engineer's office of the department of the army at a point five thousand feet (5,000′) east-southeasterly of the southeastern end of the line from Seal Rock described in subsection (1);(8) For two (2) traps only beginning at a point ten thousand feet (10,000') east-southeasterly of the southeastern end of the line from Seal Rock described in subsection (1);provided, that the traps and leaders described in subsections (7) and (8) shall extend parallel with the Seal Rock line. The provisions of § 20-5-4 shall not apply to permits for the erection of traps granted under this section with the exception of the provision in § 20-5-4 that no permits shall be granted for a greater length of trap and leader than two hundred eighty (280) fathoms, which provision shall apply to this section.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-6 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-6 - Continuity of traps.

§ 20-5-6. Continuity of traps.(a) No more than two (2) traps shall be set together in any continuous string of line, and there shall be a space of one hundred fifty (150) fathoms between two traps set within which no trap, leader, or other twine shall be placed.(b) No more than three (3) traps shall be set, erected, or maintained by the holder of any permit issued hereunder in a manner to be consecutively arranged in any one of the lines described in § 20-5-5; provided, that this subsection shall not be deemed to limit the total number of traps that may be set, erected, or maintained in a line by a holder.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-7 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-7 - Hook-backs in leaders.

§ 20-5-7. Hook-backs in leaders.Each leader shall be set as nearly as may be in a straight line and, with the exception of the traps permitted by § 20-5-5(7) and (8), no bend or angle in each leader known commonly as a "hook-back" shall be permitted.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3.
RI Gen L § 20-5-8 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-8 - Preference of prior occupants in permitting.

§ 20-5-8. Preference of prior occupants in permitting.The director of environmental management shall, where there are two (2) or more applicants for permits for the same location or for locations that are less than three thousand feet (3,000′) apart, determine which applicant has continuously during the fishing season occupied the location for the longer period of years; and the applicant who shall establish a priority of location shall, if otherwise properly qualified, be entitled to receive a permit for the location.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-9 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-9 - Expiration and renewal of permits.

§ 20-5-9. Expiration and renewal of permits.(a) All permits issued under this chapter shall be for a three-year period or for that portion thereof expiring on the last day of December of each third year thereafter.(b) On termination of any permit, the department may renew the permit by issuing a new permit in place of the permit, provided application for renewal is made within ten (10) days before the termination in a manner similar to that required for application for a permit in § 20-5-3. Failure to apply for renewal shall operate to leave the location available for an application by any other person.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-10 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-10 - Exclusive right of permittee - Assignment of permit.

§ 20-5-10. Exclusive right of permittee — Assignment of permit.(a) The holder of any permit, or the holder's heirs, executors, administrators, successors, or assigns shall have the exclusive right to fish the location by means of a fish trap, provided that the site is, and has been, actively fished.(b) Any holder of a permit may, with the approval of the director of environmental management, transfer the permit to any suitable person. This approval shall be endorsed on the permit in order to become effective.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-11 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-11 - Inspection of traps.

§ 20-5-11. Inspection of traps.The director of environmental management shall cause an inspection, or inspections, of the fish traps permitted to be made at a proper time, or times, in each year for the purpose of determining whether the traps are located in accordance with the permit for these traps and whether the permittee is observing the rules and regulations fixed by the director.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-12 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-12 - Suspension or revocation of permit.

§ 20-5-12. Suspension or revocation of permit.If, upon inspection, it appears that any trap is improperly located, or it is otherwise being used in violation of the rules and regulations fixed by the director, the director of environmental management shall immediately cause notice to be given to the holder of any permit; and if those facts are established at a hearing, the director may suspend or revoke the permit.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.
RI Gen L § 20-5-13 (2021)
2021 Rhode Island General Laws|Title 20 - Fish and Wildlife|Chapter 20-5 - Fish Traps|Section 20-5-13 - Report as to traps placed - Failure to occupy location - Removal of permit from state.

§ 20-5-13. Report as to traps placed — Failure to occupy location — Removal of permit from state.On or before the tenth day of January in each year, every person holding a permit pursuant to this chapter shall notify the department of environmental management in writing, under oath, what traps were placed under the permit during the preceding calendar year. Failure to furnish this information makes the permit null and void after that date. Failure to place a complete fish trap on a permitted location for a part of one calendar year may, in the discretion of the director of environmental management, make the permit for the fish trap null and void and the location will then become available for any suitable applicant. A permit for a fish trap location becomes null and void upon the removal of the holder from the state.History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 4.