TITLE 20

Fish and Wildlife

CHAPTER 20-1

General Provisions

SECTION 20-1-3



   § 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) "Hinge width" means the distance between the convex apex

of the right shell and the convex apex of the left shell;



   (3) "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;



   (4) "Peck" means one fourth (1/4) of a bushel;



   (5) "Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership,

or other legal entity;



   (6) "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 which 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;



   (7) "Quart" means one thirty-second ( 1/32) of a bushel;



   (8) "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;



   (9) "Commercial fishing" means to take, harvest, hold,

transport, load or off-load, marine species for sale or for intended sale;



   (10) "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.



   (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/nob whelk – Busycon carica



   Deer – Virginia white tail deer, Odocoileous virginianus



   Eel – Anguilla rostrata



   Green crabs – Carcinus maenas



   Jonah/northern 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.)