1. (A) While exercising the privilege of a license or permit the licensee, operator, or permittee must display or keep on his person the license or permit, and the license or permit must be produced on demand of department personnel or other law enforcement personnel.

2. (B) Licenses and permits, other than a limited commercial blue crab license, are not transferable; however, any licensed commercial saltwater fisherman may operate any licensed commercial equipment with written permission of the owner except:

   1. (1) channel nets; and
   2. (2) any commercial equipment licensed at the resident fee when the nonresident fee is greater if the operator is a nonresident.
3. (C) The operator and the owner of a vessel used for commercial purposes must have aboard the required commercial equipment licenses and permits and display on its port and starboard sides the vessel's identification decals provided by the department.
4. (D) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.

HISTORY: 2000 Act No. 245, SECTION 2; 2002 Act No. 342, SECTION 13; 2024 Act No. 212 (H.4386), SECTION 2, eff July 1, 2025.

Editor's Note

2024 Act No. 212, SECTION 12, provides as follows:

"SECTION 12. Upon approval of this act by the Governor, a moratorium on the issuance of new commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab takes effect, at which time the department must not issue any new commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab. This moratorium expires on June 15, 2025. Commercial equipment licenses to use traps for the taking of blue crab in effect for the 2023-2024 license year are extended and do not expire until June 30, 2025."

Effect of Amendment

2024 Act No. 212, SECTION 2, in (B), inserted ", other than a limited commercial blue crab license,".