ri-250-90-00-6: General Equipment Provisions

General Equipment Provisions - Rhode Island Department of State An Official Rhode Island State Website. Rhode Island Department of State Gregg M. Amore Secretary of State Menu Business Services Elections Civics and Education Open Government You are here: Home Open Government Rules and Regulations Code of Regulations General Equipment Provisions 250-RICR-90-00-6 PROPOSED RULE Overview Regulation History Rulemaking Documents Comments Title 250 Department of Environmental Management Chapter 90 Marine Fisheries Subchapter 00 N/A Part 6 General Equipment Provisions Type of Filing Amendment Regulation Status Proposed Filing Notice Date 10/15/2026 Filing Hearing Date(s) 11/02/2026 Public Comment Dates 10/15/2026 to 11/15/2026 Additional Information https://www.dem.ri.gov/documents/regulations/index.php Regulation Authority: R.I. Gen. Laws Title 20 R.I. Gen. Laws Chapters 42-17.1 42-17.6 and 42-17.7 and in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-18(b)(5) Administrative Procedures Act. Purpose and Reason: 1. Escape vent requirements for pots and traps:   • Proposal 1:  Division of Law Enforcement proposal to require that all pots and traps that do not currently require escape vents be constructed with at least one (1) escape vent.  Traps not exceeding twenty-four inches (24?) per side and traps constructed with a mesh size not exceeding one inch (1”) that do not target lobster, jonah crab, black sea bass, or scup (e.g., most eel and green crab pots) would be exempt from this rule (section 6.4(B)(7)(a)).• Proposal 2:  Division proposal to require that all pots and traps that do not currently require escape vents be constructed with at least one (1) escape vent.  Traps not exceeding twenty-four inches (24?) per side and traps with at least one side constructed with a mesh size not exceeding one inch (1”) that do not target lobster, jonah crab, black sea bass, or scup (e.g., most eel and green crab pots) would be exempt from this rule (section 6.4(B)(7)(a)).• Proposal 3:  Industry proposal to require that all pots and traps that do not currently require escape vents be constructed with at least one (1) circular escape vent.  Note that this proposal is not included in the proposed rule.  See the summary document included as a supporting document for specific language.2. Escape vent requirements for black sea bass pots:   Industry proposal to increase the vent size for black sea bass pots to be consistent with Industry proposal 2 above for all other pots and traps.  3. Configuration of pots and/or traps linked by a common line:  Division of Law Enforcement proposal to require that pots and/or traps that require tags, including but not limited to American Lobster and Whelk, may not be mixed with untagged pots and/or traps.  All pots and/or traps must be tagged with the same tag type(s). Multiple tag types may be used, provided that the same combination of tag types is used on all pots and/or traps. 4. Non-substantive proposed changes:   Division proposal to relocate all regulations pertaining to gear, including pot construction and minimum mesh size, from Part 3 – Finfish, to Part 6 – General Equipment Provisions, in order to house all gear related rules in the same Part.  There is no proposed change to the language being moved. To view the official Proposed Rule for accessibility and readability, click Download Regulation: Download Regulation ACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 01/29/2026 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 11/18/2024 to 01/29/2026 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 07/20/2024 to 11/18/2024 INACTIVE RULE Periodic Refile - effective from 01/04/2022 to 07/20/2024 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 11/08/2021 to 01/04/2022 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 03/30/2021 to 11/08/2021 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 10/23/2020 to 03/30/2021 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 05/14/2020 to 10/23/2020 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 11/06/2019 to 05/14/2020 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 05/08/2019 to 11/06/2019 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 05/08/2018 to 05/08/2019 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 01/28/2018 to 05/08/2018 INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 08/29/2017 to 01/28/2018 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 08/29/2017 to 08/29/2017 INACTIVE RULE Technical Revision - effective from 02/01/2017 to 08/29/2017 INACTIVE RULE Amendment - effective from 02/01/2017 to 02/01/2017 INACTIVE RULE Adoption - effective from 05/31/2016 to 02/01/2017 Public Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Proposed Rule Additional Documentation Additional Documentation 0 Comment(s) Received* View Comments Make Comment The agency is not accepting online public comments for this filing.To submit a comment, please contact the agency directly at the addresses listed on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The agency is not accepting online public comments for this filing.To submit a comment, please contact the agency directly at the addresses listed on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. * This count refers to the total comment submissions received on this document, as of 11:59 PM yesterday. Note: Agencies review all submissions; however, some agencies may choose to withhold certain submissions such as those containing private or sensitive information, profane or threatening language, or duplicate/near duplicate examples of a mass-mail campaign. This can result in discrepancies between this count and the actual number of comments displayed on this page. For specific information about a comment you submitted, please contact the agency directly. 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