Lobsters, Crabs and Other Crustaceans


250-RICR-90-00-5 ACTIVE RULE

My Page Title

5.1Purpose

5.2Authority

5.3Definitions

5.4General Lobster and Crab Pot Provisions

5.5Lobster

5.6Blue Crab

5.7Horseshoe Crab

5.8Jonah Crab

5.9Atlantic Rock Crab


Title 250 Department of Environmental Management
Chapter 90 Marine Fisheries
Subchapter 00 N/A
Part 5 Lobsters, Crabs and Other Crustaceans
Type of Filing Amendment
Regulation Status Active
Effective 05/12/2025

Regulation Authority:

R.I. Gen Laws Title 20
Chapters 42-17.1
42-17.6
and 42-17.7
and in accordance with § 42-35-18(b)(5).

Purpose and Reason:

1. Horseshoe Crab Management:  

? Proposal 1 (Save the Bay):  Modify the existing spawning closure for the bait fishery; adopt a new spawning closure for the biomedical fishery; close several south shore coastal salt ponds to commercial biomedical harvest; and designate spawner sanctuaries to prohibit all harvest of horseshoe crabs (sections 5.7(C)(1), 5.7(D)(2)(b), 5.7(D)(3), & 5.7(F))

? Proposal 2 (Division):  Modify the reporting requirements for horseshoe crabs (section 5.7(C)(2)(b))

? Alternate industry proposal:  Do not implement the proposed spawning closure for horseshoe crabs as noticed or close all coastal salt ponds but modify current bait closure to a lunar bait closure.

2. Lobster LCMA 1 and LCMA 3 Management:  Amend the rule such that lobster trap allocation holders in LCMA 1 and LCMA 3 are not eligible for routine gear loss tags.  The proposed rule provides that LCMA 1 and 3 allocation holders may only order the number of trap tags equal to their authorized LTA. This proposal is to sync the rule and maintain compliance with the ASMFC Fisheries Management Plan for lobster (sections 5.5.1(N)(13)(b)(1), 5.5.2(H), and 5.5.3(N))

3. Lobster Minimum Size and Minimum Escape Vent Size Corrections:  Correct the minimum sizes for lobster and/or minimum escape vent sizes for lobster pots in LCMAs 1, 5, 6, and Outer Cape Cod. This proposal is to sync the rule and maintain compliance with the ASMFC Fisheries Management Plan for lobster (sections 5.5.2(A), 5.5.2(C), 5.5.5(C), 5.5.6(A) & 5.5.6(C), 5.5.7(A), 5.5.7(B), and 5.5.7(C)



Rulemaking Documents are organized by document type and are part of this rule’s rulemaking record (R.I. Gen. Laws § 42-35-2.3). If multiple documents of the same type are listed below, each is a unique document. If there are multiple Public Notice of Proposed Rulemaking documents, view each document to identify the most recently amended version, as it may be amended at any point during the Public Comment Period.