(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, while operating a vessel equipped with a dredge or a vessel with a bullrake on board, to possess more than 15 bushels of conchs unless said person has in possession a valid commercial conch dredge license.

(b) It shall be unlawful for a commercial conch dredge licensee to dredge conchs from any vessel other than a vessel owned and operated by said licensee. Said vessel shall be listed by the Department on the licensee’s commercial conch dredge license.

(c) The Department is authorized to issue a commercial conch dredge license to a person who applies for same on forms to be supplied by the Department. To be eligible for a commercial conch dredge license, an applicant shall meet 1 of the following conditions:

(1) Produce receipts, personal income tax records or affidavits from a certified public accountant the applicant previously harvested conchs in Delaware for commercial purposes; or

(2) Be eligible for a commercial crab dredger’s license in Delaware according to the provisions of § 1918 of Title 7.

An applicant who is eligible for a commercial conch dredge license shall apply and pay all applicable fees to the Department within 90 days of August 26, 1994. An applicant who is not eligible or an applicant who does not obtain a commercial conch dredge license within 90 days of August 26, 1994, or a commercial conch dredge licensee who fails to renew the license as provided in the provisions of subsection (d) of this section may register with the Department on a form provided by the Department for a commercial conch dredge license that may become valid after a 5-year waiting period.

(d) A commercial conch dredge licensee shall renew the license for at least 1 year in every 3 consecutive years. Any person who does not renew the commercial conch pot license for at least 1 year in every 3 consecutive years shall be deemed not eligible for a commercial conch dredge license.

(e) The fee for a resident commercial conch dredge license shall be $57.50 for residents and $575 for nonresidents.

(f) An active commercial fisher with a commercial conch dredge license may transfer his or her license to a commercial fishing apprentice who has competed no less than 150 days of commercial fishing activities over no less than a 1-year period.

69 Del. Laws, c. 284, § 4; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 73 Del. Laws, c. 29, § 9; 80 Del. Laws, c. 348, § 3.