A. 
Any licensee or permittee who violates any of these provisions, rules and regulations, may have their license or permit suspended or revoked and cancelled by the Board by written notice to person to whom the license or permit was issued. A copy of such notice shall be filed with the Board or in the Office of the Town Clerk and shall be prima facie evidence that such notice has been given.
B. 
Licenses and permits are not transferable and no person shall amend, alter, or, In any way, modify the information contained on a license or permit.
C. 
No licensee shall be issued nor entitled to use a similar class of permit and no permittee shall be issued, nor entitled to use, a similar class of license.
D. 
The age, height, weight, color eyes and hair, and any other identifying features deemed necessary by the Board, shall be plainly marked on each license or permit for each licensee and permittee.
E. 
No person shall shellfish without a valid license or permit, measuring device or collection basket as outlined in Rules and Regulations.
F. 
Every person shall have their license or permit in possession while shell fishing and while transporting shellfish and scallops from their beds to shore and shall on demand forthwith display the same along with a valid driver's license or other positive identification and catch to any Swansea Selectman, Shellfish Warden, Police Officer, Reserve Police Officer, or any Deputy Shellfish Warden and such other officials as the Board may, from time to time, designate as enforcing persons.
G. 
All shellfish shall be brought ashore whole and in shell.
H. 
Shell fishing shall ONLY BE PERMITTED during the time period between 1/2 hour before sunrise and 1/2 hour after sunset, as defined herein; Article I General Provision" Exception: After a rain closure, on the first day of being reopened, the harvesting of shell fish shall not proceed until 8:00 a.m. Furthermore, there shall be flagpoles placed at the ends of Susan Drive and Randall Shea Road and the Swansea Boat Ramp. A GREEN FLAG shall indicate that the beds are open and a RED FLAG shall indicate that they are closed.
(1) 
As of the 2011 shell fishing season, new areas have been added as conditional areas open to shell fishing. The first of these areas is a portion of the water way of the Coles River north of the boat ramp and south of the Rt. 103 Bridge. This area shall be open to all recreational permit holders, but will be open to commercial license holders ONLY on the first open day of each month, and ONLY in DESIGNATED, BUOYED AREAS. The commercial and recreational limits that are currently in place for existing areas will remain in force for this area as well. The other area new to the 2011 season is that area south of Bay Point Road, and denoted as "The Mount Hope Bay" (sometimes referred to as the "DMZ".) This area has a higher rain fall closure threshold of 0.75" and may stay open when other Swansea shell fish areas are closed. Additional red and green flags with the word "Bay" shall be used in reference to the open/closed status of this area only. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSULT THE ACCOMPANYING MAPS FOR THESE ADDITIONAL OPEN AREAS. IT WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PERMIT AND LICENSE HOLDERS TO KNOW WHICH AREAS ARE OPEN AND WHICH AREAS ARE CLOSED. PLEASE CALL THE SHELLFISH WARDEN AT 1-508-509-0787 FOR CLARIFICATION OR QUESTIONS.
(2) 
As of the 2013 shell fishing season, additional areas have been added as conditional areas open to shell fishing. The first of these areas is a portion of the waterway of the Coles River north of the Rt. 103 bridge and south of the Rt. 195 bridge. This area shall be open to both recreational and commercial shellfish license holders. Both recreational and commercial license holders shall become familiar with the MAP outlining this area and its restrictions. The opening and closing of this specific area shall be noted on the Swansea Police Department website and also signified by the flying of a solid green (open) or solid red (closed) flag located at the water's edge between #1 & #7 Peach Street. The second of these locations is a portion of the waterway of the Swansea side of the Lees River north of the Rt. 103 bridge and south of the tip of the peninsula of the Little Neck Avenue neighborhood. This area shall be open to recreational and commercial license holders. Both recreational and commercial license holders shall become familiar with the MAP outlining this area and its restrictions. The opening and closing of this specific area shall be noted on the Swansea Police Department website and also signified by the flying of a solid green (open) or solid red (closed) flag located at the water's edge at 22 Eisenhower Road.
(3) 
All Commercial and Junior Commercial shellfishing shall be done strictly in commercial areas under commercial regulations and guidelines and away from recreational areas. All Commercial and Junior Commercial shellfishing for QUAHOGS shall be done from a boat with tongs or a bullrake for safety reasons. There will be no exceptions to these rules.
(4) 
Oysters SHALL NOT BE HARVESTED during the months of MAY, JUNE, JULY, & AUGUST. Oysters under three inches in length shall not be harvested at any time and shall be deemed seed oysters.
(5) 
SCALLOPS SHALL NOT BE HARVESTED FROM APRIL 1st thru SEPTEMBER 30th.
(6) 
All scallops taken from the waters must be ADULT SCALLOPS with a WELL-DEFINED GROWTH RING OR RAISED ANNULUS. Any scallop without such a line shall be deemed a seed scallop. No person shall land or possess scallops without a well-defined growth line AND THAT GROWTH LINE SHALL MEASURE AT LEAST 10 MM (0.39") FROM THE HINGE OF THE SHELL. EXCEPTION: Bay scallops that have a well-defined raised annual growth line located less than 10 mm from the hinge of the shell (also known as the "nub"), shall be lawful to harvest and possess if the shell height is at least 63.5 mm or 2.5 inches.
(7) 
There will be no dredging of any shellfish in the Swansea Waters unless permitted by the Shellfish Warden under "special circumstances."
I. 
No person shall shellfish in a closed area.
J. 
While shell fishing, all shellfish shall be IMMEDIATELY culled and all seed returned to the waters and flats and no person shall move or transport seed of any kind without first obtaining written permission from the Director of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and the Swansea Shellfish Warden.
K. 
No person shall take, or have in their possession, seed clams, seed oysters, seed quahogs, seed scallops or seed sea clams except that a 5% by count of seed shall be allowed. The intent is to provide an acceptable percentage of "missed" seed shellfish through normal harvesting. Recreational permit holders shall be required to have on their person a standard Massachusetts shellfish sizing ring (one inch minimum hinge width for Quahogs and two inch minimum length for Softshell/Steamer Clams). Furthermore, all Recreational permit holders shall be required to utilize a standard "1 Peck" Wire basket while harvesting Softshell/Steamer Clams and shall utilize the same or a 1 peck wire basket while harvesting quahogs, razor clams, and oysters.
L. 
Clams, scallops, oysters, and razor clams shall only be taken by a clam fork, clam rake or by hand. No shovel, plunger or other device or method shall be used.
M. 
Mussels shall only be taken by hand, hand rake, bull rake or tongs. No other device or method shall be used.
N. 
Oysters shall only be taken by hand, hand rake, bull rake or tongs. No other device or method shall be used. Oyster Relay Areas shall only be harvested by hand rake or tongs. No other device or method shall be used and oysters will be culled immediately over relay bed. (If applicable.)
O. 
Quahogs shall only be taken by hand, hand rake, bull rake or tongs. No other device or method shall be used.
P. 
Periwinkles shall only be taken by hand or hand rake.
Q. 
There shall be no dredging of any kind regarding the harvesting of any shellfish referred to in this document without the permission of the Dept. of Marine Fisheries and the Shellfish Warden. *No mechanical devices of any kind shall be used in the direct harvesting of shellfish.
(*Mechanical assistance will be allowed in the aid of removing of a bull rake, if needed, after a particular dig is complete.)
R. 
No person shall shellfish or scallop within 100 feet of any municipal aqua cultural enterprise or in any other way disturb the growth of shellfish or scallops contained in, or on, the racks, rafts, trays or floats of a municipal aqua-cultural enterprise so plainly marked. No person shall take, or directly or indirectly injure, the shellfish or scallops contained in, or on, aqua cultural devices so mentioned. No person shall injure, deface, destroy, remove or trespass upon any municipal aqua cultural device or any mark or bound used to define the extent of the municipal aqua cultural enterprise, or tie or fasten any vessel thereto, or injure, deface, destroy, remove or trespass upon any materials used as part of, or In conjunction with, any municipal aqua cultural or propagative enterprise so plainly marked.
S. 
The destruction of shellfish beds and scallop beds and marshland, while shell fishing or scalloping is strictly prohibited.
T. 
The use of scuba gear or any other breathing apparatus while diving is not allowed and the use of compressed air or other mechanical devices in the harvesting of any shellfish, except as stated in Article III, § 300-5, Subsection Q, is strictly prohibited.
U. 
No person shall harvest shellfish within three feet of coastal grasses (eel, crab, or marshland grasses). Anyone harvesting Soft shell/Steamer clams and razor clams shall fill in all holes to the best of their ability before leaving the area.
V. 
No person shall come ashore with shellfish and thereafter (later) on the same day return to the waters of the Town for the purpose of harvesting additional shellfish. The Board hereby authorizes the enforcing authorities' discretion in the enforcement of this provision.
A. 
The names of family members qualifying to use a family permit shall have their names plainly marked on the permit.
B. 
Family permits are only valid for those persons listed on the permit.
C. 
No more than one permit/license of any one class shall be issued to a family.
D. 
Senior Citizen Resident Permit is valid only for the senior citizen to whom the permit is issued and spouse who shall have their name listed on the permit.
E. 
No more than one class of Senior Citizen Resident Permit shall be issued to any one senior citizen, including spouse.
F. 
Non-Resident Family Shellfish Permits, Resident Family Shellfish Permits and Senior Citizen Resident Shellfish Permits are valid for any one year during the shell fishing season as established by the Board.
G. 
Non-Resident Family Scallop Permits, Resident Family Scallop Permits and Senior Citizens Scallop Permits are valid only during the period of October first of any one year to the succeeding March 31st inclusive unless the scallop closed season is modified by the Board as provided under MGL c. 130, § 73.
H. 
Fourteen Day Citizen's Family Shellfish Permits are valid only during the period from the date of issuance hence for 14 days inclusive.
I. 
Not more than one peck of clams and one peck of razor clams including shells shall be taken during any one calendar day on any one permit and no more than one peck in any calendar week.
J. 
Family Permit for mussels shall be one bushel per day and one bushel per week.
K. 
Not more than one peck of oysters including shells shall be taken during any one calendar day and no more than one peck per calendar week on any one permit.
L. 
Not more than one Peck of quahogs, including shells, shall be harvested in any one calendar day and not more than one peck of quahogs, including shells, shall be harvested in any one calendar week. Said peck shall consist of a random variety of legal sized Bulls/chowders, cherrystones, top neck and count neck, with no specific size requirement by percentage. In accordance with MA General Law, every attempt should be made to not sort through the dig, by returning undesirable sized quahogs back to the shellfish beds.
M. 
Not more than one peck of scallops including shells shall be taken during any one calendar week on any one permit.
N. 
Not more than one bushel of sea clams including shells shall be taken during any one day on any one permit and not more than two bushels of sea clams including shells shall be taken during any one calendar week on any one permit.
O. 
No permittee will sell, or offer for sale, for money or other considerations, any shellfish and scallops.
P. 
The harvesting of periwinkles shall be unlimited unless otherwise restricted by Massachusetts State Law.
Q. 
The harvesting of male blue or blue shell crabs shall be unlimited unless otherwise restricted by Massachusetts State Law. A minimum spine to spine width shall be five inches.
R. 
Any Harvesting of Quahogs from a boat on a recreational permit shall be done in four feet of water or greater. Four feet at low tide.
A. 
Fisherman's and Special Fisherman's Licenses are valid only for the one person to whom the license is issued.
B. 
Fisherman's and Special Fisherman's Shellfish Licenses are valid for any one year during the shellfish season as established by the Board.
C. 
Scallop Fisherman's Licenses are only valid during the period of October 1st of any one year to December 1st, inclusive, unless the scallop closed season is modified by the Board as provided under Chapter 130 of Massachusetts General Laws.
D. 
No more than one class of license shall be issued to any one resident.
E. 
Special/Junior Fisherman's Shellfish Licenses are not valid during school hours.
F. 
No Shellfish shall be removed from the shores of any area of the Town by any licensee unless the container thereof has been tagged and labeled, with said tag or label to bear thereon, the quantity of shellfish or scallops contained therein and the size or sizes of shellfish contained therein.
G. 
Not more than one peck of clams including shells shall be taken during any one calendar day or one peck per calendar week on any one license.
H. 
Fisherman's and Special Fisherman's Shellfish License daily mussel limit shall be five bushels.
I. 
Not more than one peck of oysters including shells shall be taken during any one week on any one Shellfish Fisherman's License. Season closed May - August.
J. 
Not more than one peck of oysters including shells shall be taken during one week on any one Junior Fisherman's Shellfish License.
K. 
Not more than two level bushels of quahogs (including shells) shall consist of little necks, top necks, count necks or cherrystones in any one day on any one Commercial Shell Fisherman's license. Notwithstanding these amounts, an additional four level bushels of quahogs (including shells) will be allowed to be harvested, provided they consist strictly of bulls/chowders. As of July 1, 2013, the Commercial daily limit for bulls/chowders shall be changed to three level bushels and shall remain at that level unless otherwise changed by the shellfish warden.
L. 
Not more than one level bushel of quahogs (including shells) shall consist of little necks, top necks, count necks or cherrystones in any one day on any one Junior Commercial Shell Fisherman's license. Notwithstanding these amounts, an additional one level bushel of quahogs (including shells) will be allowed to be harvested, provided they consist of strictly bulls/chowders.
M. 
Not more than one peck of scallops including shells shall be taken during any one day on any one Scallop Fisherman's License.
N. 
The commercial harvesting of Quahogs shall not take place in waters less than four feet in depth at any point established at mean low tide unless otherwise designated within these rules and regulations. This shall be strictly enforced. The reasoning is to preserve the recreational portion of the shellfish beds. The board shall reserve the right to limit or restrict shell fishing in areas which they determine to be recreational swimming areas. Certain areas may be added by the Shellfish Warden to allow commercial shellfishing in water less than four feet at low tide.
O. 
All commercial catches and junior commercial catches shall be submitted via a daily call to the Shellfish Warden. In addition to this, it shall be required that the shellfish Warden be supplied with a copy of the yearly catch report submitted to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by both Commercial and Junior Commercial shell fishermen by December 31st showing the total harvest of each Commercial and Junior Commercial shell fisherman for the preceding licensed period (February through November of that year). License renewal for the next season will not be permitted until the shellfish warden confirms receipt of such harvest report.
Knowledge of, and adherence to these rules and regulations, are the sole responsibility of the license/permit holder.