Title 20, Title 20 and Wildlife

(a) In accordance with regulatory programs promulgated pursuant to the Administrative Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42; and pursuant to the exemption afforded by § 42-35-18(b)(5); and notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 35.1 of title 42, the director shall have the au…

Notice of the director’s intention to adopt regulations pursuant to § 20-1-12 and the holding of a public hearing on these regulations shall be published in at least one newspaper of general statewide circulation, not less than twenty (20) days prior to the date of the public hea…

The director may make suitable rules and regulations governing fishing in Wallum Lake in Burrillville and Central Pond and the James V. Turner Reservoir in East Providence, and for this purpose, may confer with the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife in the department of Natural R…

The director of environmental management, and each duly authorized employee of that department, may, in the discharge of duties under this title, enter upon and pass over private property without liability for trespass. If feasible, the employee shall give notice to the property …

(a) Unless otherwise specifically provided, the violation of any law or rule or regulation relating to wild animals, wild birds, lobsters and fish, marine, freshwater and anadromous fisheries and shellfisheries shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than five hu…

The director may cooperate with the fish and wildlife commissioners or other similar bodies or agencies of other states in carrying out the purpose of this title.

Notwithstanding any other restriction or prohibition set forth in this title or in §§ 11-47-20 and 11-47-51, the director is authorized to issue special permits for the taking, handling, and/or possession of any species of wild animal, of any size, age, and numbers as may be appr…

If and when the states of New York and Connecticut and the commonwealth of Massachusetts, or any of them, shall enact similar laws for the arrest and punishment for violations of the conservation or fish laws of this state or the state so enacting the similar law, committed, or a…

The general assembly hereby vests in the director of the department of environmental management authority and responsibility over the fish and wildlife of the state and over the fish, lobsters, shellfish, and other biological resources of marine waters of the state.

When deemed necessary to carry out the director’s duties under this title, the director may require that reports detailing hunt, catch, effort, and other data be provided to the director by any person who hunts or fishes in this state or who lands his or her catch in this state. …

(a) The following fees shall be established and paid to the department of environmental management for issuance of the following special permits: Ferret Permit $10.00 Scientific Collector’s Permit $25.00 (b) Any fees collected under authority of this section shall be deposited in…

The provisions of this title shall be interpreted and construed liberally in aid of its declared purpose. If any provision of any of the chapters in this title, or any rule or regulation issued under this title, is held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder …

(a) For purposes of this section, “wildlife population” includes, but is not limited to: deer, indigenous Canadian geese, mute swans, cormorants, wild turkeys, crows, coyotes, and furbearers. (b) The department of environmental management shall establish a program of financial as…

(1) “Internet hunting” means the use of the internet to remotely control the shooting of any bird or animal. (2) No person shall shoot at or kill any bird or animal with any gun via an internet connection in Rhode Island. (3) No person shall import, export, or possess any bird or…

(a) No person shall import, transport, disperse, distribute, introduce, sell, purchase, or possess in the state any species of non-native (exotic) freshwater invasive aquatic plants, as defined by the director. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the pro…

(a) No person shall release or liberate, by design or accident, any species of non-native (exotic) fish or invertebrate, as defined by the director, into the freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, or wetlands of the state. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations go…

(a) No person shall import, transport, culture, or sell exotic species of baitfish, as specified by the director, in Rhode Island. The director shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the prohibition and its applicability. The regulations shall include a list of approved…

(a) For the purpose of this section: (1) “Shark” means any species of the subclass Elasmobranchii; it does not include smooth dogfish (smooth hounds), spiny dogfish, or species in the suborder Batoidea; (2) “Shark fin” means the raw, dried, or otherwise processed detached fin or …

(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) “Commercial fishing” means to take, harvest, hold, transport…

Notwithstanding the provisions of this title, the electors of the town of New Shoreham may, in a town meeting called for that purpose, enact any ordinances to protect and to regulate the taking of shellfish and other fish in Great Salt Pond, and may impose penalties for violation…

The director is authorized to promulgate, adopt, and enforce any and all rules and regulations deemed necessary to carry out duties and responsibilities under this title.

The director, and the director’s authorized agents, employees, and designees, shall protect the wild birds, wild animals, fisheries, and shellfisheries throughout the state and shall administer and enforce the provisions of this title, and the rules and regulations adopted pursua…

The director, in exercising authority under this title for the planning, management, and regulation of marine fisheries, shall request and consider in the record as applicable the advice of the marine fisheries council, and shall provide a written response to such advice of the m…

The director shall appoint any number of conservation officers that he or she may deem necessary for the detection and prosecution of any violations of the laws of this state enumerated in § 20-1-8. The director may delegate any and all of his or her powers and duties to each of …

The director may appoint any number of deputy wardens that he or she may deem necessary. The deputy wardens shall not be authorized to carry pistols or revolvers, but shall be authorized to detect violators of the laws of this state enumerated in § 20-1-8. This detection shall be…

(a) The director and each conservation officer shall have the power: (1) To enforce all laws, rules, and regulations of this state pertaining to: (i) Fish, wildlife, and all vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants; (ii) Freshwater wetlands, dams, and resources; (iii) Areas and act…

(a) Any vessel, boat, fishing tackle, guns, shooting and hunting paraphernalia, traps, decoys, or any other implements, appliances, or equipment used in violation of any law, rule, or regulation relating to fish and wildlife, that, by provision of any section of this title, is su…

The general assembly shall annually appropriate any sum that it may deem necessary to patrol and police the shellfish grounds; check the licenses of fishermen; protect the scallop areas; collect animal specimens; execute special work incidental to the lobster and other shellfishe…