§ 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. (Added 1985, Connecticut River Atlantic Salmon Commission Regs., eff. June 1, 1985.)