2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE TWELVE - Conservation (§§ 1-16 — 8162) › Subtitle 1 - Protection of Game and Fish (§§ 1-16 — 107u) › Chapter 2A - Fisheries (§§ 25 — 25o) › § 25d - Fishing licenses

Any person fishing in jurisdictional waters of Puerto Rico must hold the licenses and permits duly issued by the Secretary, except for those exceptions provided by regulations. These documents shall be available for inspection at any time that the fisherman is engaged in the trade of fishing or in the activity or sport of fishing, and shall not be transferable. Furthermore, having obtained the fishing licenses and permits shall not exempt the applicant from procuring other permits required by Puerto Rican and United States government agencies.
Applicants must show their knowledge of §§ 25 et seq. of this title, known as the “Fisheries Act” and its regulations, and meet the requirements stated below and any others established by regulations, before being issued a license. Fishermen must present reliable documents as proof that they meet the requirements to be issued a license and a statement of the income they derive from commercial fishing. Applicants for a license to engage in commercial fishing in jurisdictional waters of Puerto Rico shall be of legal age, or may be under the age of eighteen (18) if they submit the authorization issued by the Department of Labor and Human Resources to children under legal age for them to be able to work.
The Department shall be responsible for publishing, furnishing and keeping copies of the applicable laws and regulations available.
(a) Full-time commercial fishing license.— An applicant for this license must meet the following requirements:
(1) Complete the full-time commercial fishing license application form.
(2) Be a legal resident of Puerto Rico for one (1) year prior to applying.
(3) Having rendered or agreed to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(4) Pay the amount determined through regulations.
(5) Any other requirement established by regulations.
This license shall have an effective term of four (4) years, except in the case of those fishermen with sixty (60) years of age or over and/or persons pensioned for reason of a disability, who shall have the benefit of holding a lifetime license. All other requirements and conditions set forth in this chapter shall remain in effect. The lifetime license, as established herein, shall only be granted by submitting a full-time commercial fisherman license renewal application.
(b) Part-time commercial fishing license.— An applicant for this license must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the part-time commercial fishing license application form.
(2) Be a legal resident of Puerto Rico for one (1) year before applying.
(3) Having rendered or having agreed to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(4) Pay the amount determined through regulations.
(5) Any other requirement established through regulations.
This license shall have an effective term of four (4) years.
(c) Commercial fishing apprentice license.— An applicant for this license must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the commercial fisherman apprentice license application form.
(2) Be a legal resident of Puerto Rico for one (1) year before applying.
(3) Agree to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(4) Pay the amount determined through regulations.
(5) Any other requirement established through regulations.
This license shall have a maximum effective term of one (1) year. If the fisherman provides evidence attesting to the fact that during the license’s effective term of one year, he/she has been unable to meet the necessary requirements to obtain a license under any other category, he/she may renew such commercial fishing apprentice license for one (1) additional year, only once.
(d) Nonresident commercial fishing license.— To obtain this license, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the nonresident commercial fishing license application form.
(2) Be a United States citizen.
(3) Agree to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(4) Pay the amount determined though regulations.
(5) Any other requirement established through regulations.
This license shall have an effective term of six (6) months.
(e) Recreational fishing license.— To obtain this license, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the recreational fishing license application form, and enclose a written agreement not to sell or trade with the catch.
(2) Pay the amount determined through regulations. Exemptions from payment of license fees shall be established through regulations.
(3) Be a legal resident of Puerto Rico for one (1) year prior to applying.
(4) Agree to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(5) Any other requirement established through regulations.
This license shall have an effective term of one (1) year.
(f) Provisional recreational fishing license.— For this license to be issued, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the provisional recreational fishing license application form.
(2) Pay the amount determined through regulations.
(3) Any other requirement established through regulations.
The effective term of this license may be extended to a maximum of six (6) months.
(g) Recreational fishing license for rental boat owners.— For this license to be issued, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
(1) Fill out the recreational fishing license for rental boat owners application form.
(2) Pay the amount determined through regulations.
(3) Be a citizen of the United States of America or a legal resident of Puerto Rico for one (1) year prior to applying.
(4) Agree to render a statistical report on his/her fishing activities.
(5) Any other requirement established through regulations.
The effective term of this license shall be established through regulations.
History —Nov. 29, 1998, No. 278, § 6; Aug. 11, 2009, No. 68, § 1.