12-096 Code Vt. R. 12-010-096-X - ATLANTIC SALMON MANAGEMENT IN CONNECTICUT RIVER (10 V.S.A. APP. Section 116)
Section 116
Atlantic salmon management in Connecticut River
(a) Definitions.
(1) "Angling" means fishing with hook and
line which must be personally attended.
(2) "Fly fishing" means angling with the use
of a single fly with either a single or double (side by side) hook, whose gape
may not exceed 1/2 inch, dressed with hair, feathers, tinsel, thread, yarn or
similar material. The use of lead core lines is prohibited. Additional weight
may not be built into the fly in its construction, as in a weighted nymph, and
no additional weight or other attachments such as spinners or swivels shall be
attached to the hook, leader or line, and the use of open or closed face
spinning reels, spin cast reels, free spool reels, bait casting reels or
similar devices is prohibited.
(3)
"River" means the main stem of the Connecticut River from a line drawn from
Griswold Point in Old Lyme, Connecticut to Lynde Point, Old Saybrook,
Connecticut upstream to the base of the dam at Lake Francis in Pittsburg, New
Hampshire.
(4) "Snagging"
(snatching, lifting or jigging) means the taking or attempting to take any fish
by foul hooking, that is, hooking the fish in any part of the body other than
inside the mouth.
(5) "States"
means the Connecticut River basin states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Vermont.
(6) "Take"
or "taking" means killing or capturing or otherwise rendering into
possession.
(b)
Connecticut River Basin Atlantic Salmon License.
(1) In accordance with the authorizing
statutes, no person shall take, attempt to take, assist in taking or possess on
the waters or the shores of the river or any of its tributaries any Atlantic
salmon without first having obtained a Connecticut River basin Atlantic salmon
license.
(2) Such license shall be
issued by the states on forms provided by the Commission and shall be valid
during the calendar year of issue.
(3) No person shall be issued such license
unless such person has first obtained the appropriate sport fishing license
required by the state which is to issue the Connecticut River basin Atlantic
salmon license.
(4) Such license
shall be displayed in a conspicuous manner on the outer garment at all times
when angling for Atlantic salmon.
(5) The fee for such license shall be ten
dollars and fifty cents ($ 10.50), fifty cents ($ 0.50) of which may be
retained by the state of issuance.
(c) Seasons, methods and limits.
(1) No person shall take or attempt to take
from the river or possess on the waters or shores of the river any Atlantic
salmon except that the Commission, acting under Article VIII, Section 6 of its
Statement of Practices and Procedures, when it has evidence that sufficient
numbers of Atlantic salmon have returned to the river, may declare an open
season in the river or in specified sections of the river for such periods as
it deems appropriate and may close such season for cause.
(2) Upon the declaration of an open season
for Atlantic salmon in the river, the Commission shall provide, to the states,
Connecticut River Atlantic salmon tags to be issued, at no additional cost, to
holders of the Connecticut River basin Atlantic salmon license in a number
determined by the Commission to be the individual season creel limit. Any
person taking any Atlantic salmon in the main stem of the Connecticut River
shall immediately attach thereto a Connecticut River salmon tag and the
possession of an Atlantic salmon on the waters or shores of the river without
such tag attached and the removal of such tag prior to preparation for
consumption is prohibited.
(3)
During any open season declared by the Commission, Atlantic salmon may be taken
by fly fishing only, the minimum length for Atlantic salmon shall be fifteen
(15) inches and the daily and seasonal creel limit shall be as determined by
the Commission upon declaration of an open season.
(4) Any Atlantic salmon taken under the
provisions of this section must be presented for inspection within forty-eight
(48) hours to an authorized agent of the fish and wildlife agency in the state
in which such Atlantic salmon was taken.
(5) The snagging of Atlantic salmon is
prohibited.
(6) The taking of
Atlantic salmon with the aid of an artificial light is prohibited.
(7) No Atlantic salmon may be taken within
250 feet of any dam or fishway.
(8)
The use of a gaff to land Atlantic salmon is prohibited.
(9) All Atlantic salmon taken contrary to
this section shall be immediately returned, without avoidable injury, to the
water from which taken.
(d) Scientific purposes. Nothing in this
section shall prohibit a duly authorized state, federal, or Commission
employee, acting within the scope of official employment, from taking or
possessing Atlantic salmon for the purposes of research, management or
propagation.
(e) Penalties. Any
person who violates any provision of this section shall be subject to the
penalties set forth in the statutes of the state in which the violation
occurred. Upon conviction of any person for any violation of any provision of
this section, the Connecticut River basin license issued to such person and the
right to obtain such license shall be suspended for a period of one year for
the first violation, two years for the second violation and five years for the
third and subsequent violations. Upon suspension of said license, any
Connecticut River Atlantic salmon tags issued under the provisions of this
section shall be surrendered to the state of issuance.
(f) Effective date. The effective date of
this section shall be June 1, 1985.
Notes
June 1, 1985 (Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission Regs.)
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