(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no license shall be issued:
(1) To a person not engaged in such operations during the season immediately preceding that for which application for the shad license is made.
(2) To extend operations of the applicant beyond those of the last year in which those operations were carried on either by increasing the fishing capacity or the size or number of units of gear employed at that time.
(3) To operate a fixed net on a location already occupied by another licensee or within 1500 feet thereof, measured at right angles to the line of stakes, unless the other licensee has failed to apply for renewal of his license on or before January 1 of the year for which the license is to be issued.
(b) Renewal of license.--A licensee who does not engage in any or some of the fishing operations licensed may renew his license for those operations in the following season, but if he fails to engage in some or all of the operations licensed for two successive seasons he shall lose his right to renew and must apply for any further license as a new applicant with respect to those operations licensed but not engaged in.