SECTION 1. Section 20-4.1-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-4.1 entitled "Menhaden Management Area" is hereby amended to read as follows:

20-4.1-3. Closure areas. -- 20-4.1-3. Prohibition on the taking of menhaden. -- (a) When the division of fish and wildlife determines that the daily catch equals or exceeds five hundred thousand pounds (500,000 lbs.) for any one day, the following area closures will be implemented on an emergency basis. During a closure, purse seining for The taking of menhaden for reduction purposes (fish meal) will be is prohibited in Rhode Island and all state waters. in all closed areas. A vessel will be considered in the reduction (fish meal) business if any portion of the vessel's catch is sold for reduction purposes.

The Director of the Department of Environmental Management shall have the power to make emergency rules regarding this prohibition to protect the public health and safety from an unexpected hazard or risk. The Marine Fisheries Council shall be notified of all emergency rules on or before their effective date.

(b) The following areas will be closed to purse seining of menhaden for reduction purposes when the daily catch limit exceeds five hundred thousand pounds (500,000 lbs.) per day:

(1) Wickford area: There shall be no menhaden seining west of (inside) the breakwater located at the harbor mouth.

(2) Dutch Island: East of the northernmost end of Dutch Island to the easternmost end of the Verrazano Jamestown Bridge (Jamestown) and northeast of a line running between the flasher F1"R"6 set at the southern tip of Dutch Island and the westernmost point of Fox Hill (Beaverhead).

(3) Bonnet Shores: West of a line running southwesterly from Bonnet Point to "Watson Pier".

(4) Newport area: East of a line extending southerly from the westernmost point of the breakwater at the Naval Base to R"14" to the abandoned lighthouse at the southwest tip of Rose Island to the flasher at the northern tip of Fort Adams.

(5) South of Aquidneck Island: North of a line running west from Sachuest Point to the southernmost point of "Land's End".

(6) Middle Sakonnet River: East of a line from the western end of Seapowet Point to the westernmost end of High Hill Point, to the pipeline area on the Little Compton shore directly to the east of Black Point to Flint Point.

(7) Lower Sakonnet River: West of line running south from the eastern end of Black Point to Flint Point.

(c)(b) These restrictions shall in no way prevent the taking of menhaden by purse seine, for bait, chum or purposes other than fish meal reduction.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.