Rhode Island § 20-5-5 - Fish Traps

§ 20-5-5. Restricted locations off Rhode Island and Sakonnet River.

No permit shall be granted for the erection of a fish trap within that portion of the public waters of the state southerly of the island of Rhode Island, designated by the engineer’s office of the department of the army as available fishing areas, lying easterly of Brenton’s Reef and southerly of a line drawn from Coggeshall’s Point to Sakonnet Light, except as follows:

Permits may be granted for the erection of traps:

(1) Southeasterly from Seal Rock, so-called, in a line on range of White Church in Saunderstown over Seal Rock to the offshore limits of the outer area designated by the engineer’s office of the department of the army; provided, that all traps on this line shall be of equal length including leaders and shall be so limited in length that permits for eight (8) traps may be granted;

(2) Southeasterly from Flat Rock, so-called, on the easterly side of Coggeshall’s Point, in a line to the offshore limits of the inner or “summer” area designated by the engineer’s office of the department of the army;

(3) In a line from the westerly side of Price’s Neck, so-called, southwesterly for a distance not exceeding one thousand five hundred feet (1,500′); provided, that not more than two (2) traps shall be permitted in this line;

(4) In a line from the easterly side of Price’s Neck, so-called, southeasterly for a distance not exceeding three thousand three hundred feet (3,300′);

(5) Southeasterly from Coggeshall’s Point in a line to the eastern limits of the outer area designated by the engineer’s office of the department of the army;

(6) Southerly from Cormorant Rock, so-called, in a line for a distance of not exceeding seven thousand feet (7,000′);

(7) For two (2) traps only on the line constituting the offshore limits of the outer area designated by the engineer’s office of the department of the army at a point five thousand feet (5,000′) east-southeasterly of the southeastern end of the line from Seal Rock described in subsection (1);

(8) For two (2) traps only beginning at a point ten thousand feet (10,000’) east-southeasterly of the southeastern end of the line from Seal Rock described in subsection (1);

provided, that the traps and leaders described in subsections (7) and (8) shall extend parallel with the Seal Rock line. The provisions of § 20-5-4 shall not apply to permits for the erection of traps granted under this section with the exception of the provision in § 20-5-4 that no permits shall be granted for a greater length of trap and leader than two hundred eighty (280) fathoms, which provision shall apply to this section.