Rhode Island Spearfishing Rules Card

Legal status

Saltwater LegalFreshwater Permitted

Spearfishing is legal in Rhode Island's marine waters (Narragansett Bay, the coastal salt ponds, and the Atlantic/Block Island Sound), where it is treated as recreational fishing subject to every species' size, season, and possession limit.

License

Required: Rhode Island Recreational Saltwater Fishing License (marine); a separate RI Freshwater Fishing License applies in fresh water

Resident: Saltwater: $7.00 per year for RI residents; a 7-day license is $5.00. Freshwater license is a separate purchase (cost not separately confirmed here).

Non-resident: Saltwater: $10.00 per year for non-residents; a 7-day license is $5.00.

Gear rules

• Spearguns: Legal in marine waters as recreational spearfishing gear, subject to all size, season, and possession limits.
• Pole spears: Permitted in marine waters as recreational spearfishing gear, subject to all species size/season/possession limits.
• On scuba: Yes. Spearfishing while diving on SCUBA, snorkeling, or free-diving is contemplated by the marine regulations, the striped bass rule.
• Lobster may not be taken with a spear, gig, gaff, or other penetrating device, by any person or any diver
• Striped bass taken by spear must meet the recreational 28-inch minimum / under-31-inch maximum slot and the 1-fish-per-person-per-day limit
• All marine spearfishing is bound by the same size, season, and possession limits as hook-and-line fishing
• In fresh water, spears and bows may be used only for carp, suckers, and fallfish

Do not spear

• Lobster, may NOT be taken by spear, gig, gaff, or any penetrating device; divers may only take lobster by hand under a Non-Commercial Lobster Diver License, up to 8/day
• In fresh water, all game fish, trout, salmon, charr, northern pike, chain pickerel, black bass, and American eel, are hook-and-line

Area restrictions

• Marine spearfishing is governed statewide by the same size, season, and possession limits that apply to all recreational fishing; no blanket.
• Freshwater spearing/bow-fishing is limited to carp, suckers, and fallfish wherever fresh-water fishing is allowed; game fish waters remain.
• Divers (including spearos on SCUBA, snorkel, or free-dive) diving where power/motor boats operate must display a diver-down warning flag under RIGL.

Before you dive

• Never dive alone: one up, one down.
• Check current seasons and sizes the morning of the dive.
• Confirm with Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM), Division of Marine Fisheries (saltwater) and Division of Fish & Wildlife (freshwater): https://dem.ri.gov/natural-resources-bureau/marine-fisheries/marine-fisheries-regulations