§ 20-10-12 - Permits and licenses for the taking, possession, sale, importation, and transportation of species used in aquaculture. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 20-10-12

   § 20-10-12  Permits and licenses for thetaking, possession, sale, importation, and transportation of species used inaquaculture. – (a) The director is authorized and empowered to grant permits for, issuelicenses for, and establish rules and regulations governing the taking,possession, sale, importation, and transportation of animal or plant speciesutilized in aquaculture; provided, however, that in the case of bivalves, noapproval shall be given for the sale, possession, use, storage, ortransportation of those species for human consumption without the writtenapproval and permission of the director of health.

   (b) Any person who takes, possesses, imports, or transportsany animal or plant species as delineated in subsection (a) without a permitissued by the director shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject toimprisonment of not more than one year or a fine not exceeding five hundreddollars ($500), or both. The animal or plant species possessed, imported, ortransported by that person may be forfeited to the state.

   (c) In accordance with rules and regulations establishedunder this section, permits issued by the director may provide for specificexemptions, notwithstanding other provisions of law, from quotas, catch or baglimits, seasons, minimum size limits and other such restrictions on commercialfishing as the director, in consultation with the council, may determine to beinappropriate to commercial aquaculture.

   (d) Any person who is granted permits for the conduct ofaquaculture by the CRMC and the director in accordance with this chapter shallobtain a commercial aquaculture license to sell aquaculture products in thestate to licensed fish and shellfish dealers. The license shall be issued bythe department on a calendar year basis for an annual fee of two hundreddollars ($200).