As used in this chapter, the term:
"Commission" means the Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources.
"Department" means the Department of Marine Resources.
"Domicile" means a person's principal or primary place of abode in which a person's habitation is fixed and to which the person, whenever absent, has the present intention of returning after a departure of absence therefrom, regardless of the duration of the absence. The burden of proving domicile in the State of Mississippi shall be on the person claiming that status. A person holding a current driver's license shall be deemed to be domiciled within the state issuing the license. If a person does not hold a current driver's license the following evidence may be considered in establishing, but is not necessarily determinative of domicile: residence for income or other tax purposes, homestead exemption receipt or other means prescribed by the commission. In the case of minors, domicile of the parents shall be used as evidence of the minor's domicile.
"Game fish" means cobia, also known as ling or lemonfish (rachycentron canadum). The cobia is classified as game fish.
"Illegal oysters" means:
All untagged shell stock;
Shell oysters obtained from uncertified shops or dealers or from an unlicensed catcher;
Oysters obtained from waters not declared safe and sanitary by the department, except those oysters caught by the commission for re-laying or under private leases pursuant to Section 49-15-27;
Shucked oysters obtained from uncertified shops or repackers.
"Inspector" means the chief inspector, the assistant chief inspector, deputy inspector, bureau director and certified enforcement officer employed by the department.
"Natural reefs" means any bottom under the jurisdiction of the commission of one or more acres on which oysters grow naturally, or have grown naturally, in a quantity sufficient to warrant commercial fishing as a means of livelihood, or have been used in such a manner within a period of ten (10) years next preceding the time the bottoms may come up for determination by the commission.
"Resident" means a person, firm or corporation that is domiciled in this state.
"Seafood" means all oysters, saltwater fish, saltwater shrimp, diamondback terrapin, sea turtle, crabs and all other species of marine or saltwater animal life existing or living in the waters within the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Mississippi.
"Tonging reefs" means any bottom under the jurisdiction of the commission designated by the commission as an area in which oysters may be taken by use of hand tongs, as provided in Section 49-15-39.
Structure Mississippi Code
Title 49 - Conservation and Ecology
Article 1 - General Provisions
§ 49-15-1. Public policy of the state as to seafood laws
§ 49-15-2. Standards for fishery conservation and management; fishery management plans
§ 49-15-5. All seafoods initially the property of the state
§ 49-15-7. Oyster, clam, cay shells and other shells declared to be property of state
§ 49-15-9. Rights of riparian owners on Gulf Coast defined
§ 49-15-16. Limited entry fisheries management program
§ 49-15-18. Distribution of chapter
§ 49-15-21. Enforcement officers; reserve unit
§ 49-15-25. Advisory council may be appointed by commission
§ 49-15-27. Commission granted authority to lease bottoms
§ 49-15-35. Authority to regulate taking and catching of menhaden
§ 49-15-37. Cultivation of oyster reefs; removal of oysters from restricted areas
§ 49-15-41. Oysters not to be caught at night
§ 49-15-43. Packaging of oysters; containers
§ 49-15-44. Sale or possession of illegal oysters prohibited; penalties
§ 49-15-64.1. Shrimp season: waters closed to shrimping
§ 49-15-64.2. Shrimping permitted with cast net
§ 49-15-65. Jurisdiction of courts; appeals
§ 49-15-73. Use of aircraft to assist in harvesting of redfish; penalties
§ 49-15-74. Open season for menhaden
§ 49-15-83. Interpretation and application of Sections 49-15-71 through 49-15-81
§ 49-15-87. "Peeler crab" and "soft-shell crab" defined
§ 49-15-89. Unlawful to catch, destroy, confine, hold or have in possession certain crabs
§ 49-15-91. Regulatory authority for maximum number of crab pots allowable per licensee
§ 49-15-94. Use of purse seine to catch mullet during roe mullet season; penalties
§ 49-15-96. Keeping of certain fish caught in shrimp nets for personal consumption
§ 49-15-97. Requirement that commercial fishing vessels use approved lights; penalties
§ 49-15-100.1. Forfeiture of vessels, motors and equipment used in violation of Section 49-15-100
§ 49-15-100.3. Prima facie evidence of use of prohibited equipment