Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 20-1 - General Provisions
Section 20-1-3. - Definitions.

§ 20-1-3. Definitions.
(a) When used in this title, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings, unless the context indicates another meaning:
(1) “Bushel” means a standard U.S. bushel, 2,150.4 cubic inches capacity;
(2) “Commercial fishing” means to take, harvest, hold, transport, load, or off-load, marine species for sale or for intended sale;
(3) “Hinge width” means the distance between the convex apex of the right shell and the convex apex of the left shell;
(4) “Land or landing” means to off-load seafood products, including, but not limited to, finfish, shellfish, and crustaceans, for sale or intended sale, or to secure a vessel with the seafood products on board to a shoreside facility where the products may be off-loaded for sale or intended sale;
(5) “Nonresident landowner” means a nonresident citizen of the United States and owner of real estate in Rhode Island as evidenced by deed filed in the recorder of deeds office in a Rhode Island town or city hall;
(6) “Peck” means one fourth (¼) of a bushel;
(7) “Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal entity;
(8) “Possession” means the exercise of dominion or control over the resource commencing at the time at which a decision is made not to return the resource to the immediate vicinity from which it was taken. The decision must be made at the first practical opportunity. In the case of aquaculture crops, “possession” means the exercise of dominion or control over cultured crops commencing at the time that a decision is made not to return the crops to the lease or facility from which they were taken. The decision must be made at the first practical opportunity, taking into consideration the management practices set forth in the approved operational plan;
(9) “Quart” means one thirty-second (1/32) of a bushel;
(10) “Resident” means an individual who has had his or her actual place of residence and has lived in the state of Rhode Island for a continuous period of not less than six (6) months.
(b) When used in this title, the following common names shall mean the animals designated by the following scientific names:
Alewife — Pomolobus or Alosa pseudoharengus
Bay quahaug — Mercenaria mercenaria
Bay scallop — Argopecten irradians
Blue crab — Callinectes sapidus
Blue mussel — Mytilus edulis
Conch/channel whelk — Busycon canaliculatum
Conch
ob whelk — Busycon carica
Deer — white-tailed deer, Odocoileous virginianus
Eel — Anguilla rostrata
Green crabs — Carcinus maenas
Jonah
orthern crab — Cancer borealis
Lobster — Homarus americanus
Menhaden — Brevoortia tyrannus
Ocean quahaug — Arctica islandica
Oyster — Crassostrea virginica, Ostrea edulis
Rock crab — Cancer irroratus
Sea scallop — Placopecten magellanicus
Smelt — Osmerus mordax
Soft shell clam — Mya arenaria
Striped bass — Morone saxatilis
Surf clam or sea clam — Spisula solidissima.
History of Section.P.L. 1981, ch. 197, § 3; P.L. 1988, ch. 165, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 78, § 1; P.L. 2002, ch. 47, § 1.