Rhode Island § 46-4-2 - Harbors and Harbor Lines

§ 46-4-2. City and town control of harbors — Harbormasters — Extension of Providence jurisdiction.

(a) The council of any city or town is hereby authorized and empowered to appoint a harbormaster for the harbors within the confines of the city or town, and to ordain and establish such bylaws and ordinances and establish such fees and compensation as the city council or town council may deem necessary and expedient for carrying out the provisions of this section; provided, that the jurisdiction, powers, and duties of the harbormaster of the city of Providence shall include all the public waters westerly of the easterly sides of the ship channels in Seekonk River, Providence River and Harbor and Narragansett Bay from the Pawtucket-Providence city line southerly to the point of intersection of the ship-channel side with a straight line drawn from Rumstick Point on the east shore to Rocky Point on the west shore, excluding that area subject to jurisdiction of the city of Cranston, pursuant to the provisions of § 46-4-5.1, and all acts of the general assembly and ordinances of the city of Providence, now or hereafter passed, relative to the harbor of the city of Providence, shall apply to and be in force relative to the public waters.

(b) The council of the town of Little Compton is hereby authorized and empowered to enact ordinances to regulate or ban the setting of lobster pots, fish nets, or cribs, within the harbor at Little Compton to prevent interference with the use of moorings or navigation therein; provided, further, that all harbormasters shall receive education and training in first aid and CPR from any entity which is authorized or licensed to conduct the training or education; provided, further, that all harbormasters shall attend The Rhode Island Harbormaster Training Academy.