Recreational fishing exceptions; minnow traps for commercial purposes; retrieving unattended recreational equipment

(A) A person may fish or use the following in the salt waters of this State solely for recreational purposes without being commercially licensed: (1) shrimp seines; (2) hand-operated tongs, rakes except bull rakes, and forks except seed forks, used to harvest shellfish; (3) hook and line or rod and reel; (4) minnow traps, drop nets, and dip nets; (5) cast nets; however, the use must comply with all other provisions of law; (6) no more than two crab traps without a recreational crab trap endorsement; (7) no more than five crab traps with a recreational crab trap endorsement; (8) no more than two trotlines with a cumulative total of not more than fifty hooks or baits; (9) no more than ten bush or pole lines with single hooks or baits. (B) A person may use a lawful gill net for other than commercial purposes without a commercial saltwater fishing license. (C) A person may use lawful minnow traps to take fish for a commercial purpose for use as bait without a commercial saltwater fishing license. (D) No person may retrieve any unattended recreational equipment used pursuant to this section unless the owner is present. A person may retrieve equipment with the written permission of the owner, but no fish may be retained. (E) A person who violates this section by fishing or using equipment in excess of the numbers allowed in this section or in violation of subsection (D) is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.