§ 20-6-7 - Use of dredges.
SECTION 20-6-7
§ 20-6-7 Use of dredges. – Except as hereinafter provided and unless otherwise specified by regulation ofthe marine fisheries council, no person shall take any oysters, bay quahaugs,or soft-shell clams from the waters of this state by dredges, rakes, or otherapparatus operated by mechanical power or hauled by power boats. No licensedperson shall cast, haul, or have overboard any dredges while fishing foroysters, bay quahaugs, or soft-shell clams from the free and common fisheriesof this state, nor shall any licensed boat be used for fishing oysters,soft-shell clams, or bay quahaugs with dredges, except as provided in thissection; provided, that any person having a license issued under this title forthe taking of scallops may use a dredge or dredges, not exceeding six (6) innumber nor exceeding twenty-eight inches (28") each in width, for that purpose;provided further, that the licensee shall immediately return all oysters,soft-shell clams, or bay quahaugs caught by the licensee to the waters fromwhich they were taken. Any licensed boat may be used in dredging for mussels bythe licensee of that boat, the licensee having first obtained a permit from thedirector of environmental management allowing the licensee so to do; provided,the licensee, while dredging for mussels under the permit granted the licenseeby the director, shall immediately return all oysters, scallops, or bayquahaugs caught by him or her to the waters from which they were taken. Thefact of any licensed person being found with oysters, scallops, or bay quahaugsin his or her possession while dredging for mussels shall be prima facieevidence that person was fishing in violation of the provisions of this chapterand shall be subject to the penalties and fines imposed by this chapter. Anyresident dredging for surf clams or skimmers shall not be in violation of thissection if that dredging is done southerly of the coastline of Little Compton,southerly of a line extending from Church point, in the town of Little Compton,to Flint point on Aquidneck Island, southerly of the coastline of AquidneckIsland, southerly of a line extending from Castle Hill point on AquidneckIsland, to southwest point of Conanicut Island to Boennet point, Narragansett,easterly of the coastline of the town of Narragansett, southerly of thecoastline of the towns of Narragansett, South Kingstown, and Charlestown, andwesterly to the Connecticut line. For the purpose of this section, "coastline"refers to the land facing the open sea.