R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-2.1-3 (2026)
Definitions
Effective Jul 6, 2021History of Section. P.L. 2002, ch. 47, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 3; P.L. 2021, ch. 162, art. 7, § 4, effective July 6, 2021.
- (1) “Activity standard” means a level of fishing participation used to establish criteria for the issuance of new licenses.
- (2) “Commercial fisherman” means a natural person licensed to catch, harvest, or take marine species from the marine waters for sale.
- (3) “Council” means the marine fisheries council established by chapter 3 of this title.
- (4) “Crustaceans” means lobsters, crabs, shrimp, and for purposes of this chapter it also includes horseshoe crabs.
- (5) “Director” means the director of the department of environmental management.
- (6) “Family member” means a spouse, mother, father, brother, sister, child, or grandchild of the holder or transferor of a commercial fishing license.
- (7) “Finfish” means cold-blooded aquatic vertebrates with fins, including fish, sharks, rays, skates, and eels and also includes, for the purposes of this chapter, squid.
- (8) “Fisheries sectors” means and comprises crustaceans, finfish, and shellfish, as defined in this section, each of which shall singularly be considered a fishery sector.
- (9) “Fishery endorsement” means the authorization for a license holder to participate in a designated fishery sector at a limited or unlimited level.
- (10) “Grace period” means sixty (60) calendar days commencing the last day of February and shall only apply to renewals of licenses from the immediately preceding year.
- (11) “Medical hardship” means a significant medical condition that renders an active licensed person unable to fish for a period in excess of fourteen (14) days, either as a result of the physical loss of function or impairment of a body part or parts, or debilitating pain. Demonstration of the medical hardship shall be in the form of a diagnosis and prognosis signed by a medical doctor (M.D. or O.D.).
- (12) “Medical incapacity” means death or injury that renders an active license holder permanently unable to actively fish. Demonstration of medical incapacity shall be in the form of a death certificate, or a diagnosis and prognosis signed by a medical doctor (M.D. or O.D.).
- (13) “Other endorsement” means the authorization for a license holder or vessel to participate in a designated activity.
- (14) “Shellfish” means quahogs, clams, mussels, scallops, oysters, conches, and mollusks in general other than squid.
- (15) “Student commercial fisherman” means a resident twenty-three (23) years of age or younger, licensed pursuant to this chapter, who is a full-time student.
For the purposes of this chapter the following terms shall mean:
History of Section.
P.L. 2002, ch. 47, § 4; P.L. 2004, ch. 8, § 3; P.L. 2004, ch. 16, § 3; P.L. 2021, ch. 162, art. 7, § 4, effective July 6, 2021.