Rhode Island General Laws
Chapter 20-2.1 - Commercial Fishing Licenses
Section 20-2.1-3. - Definitions.

§ 20-2.1-3. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter the following terms shall mean:
(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.
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.