Except as otherwise provided by division rule, no person shall use in fishing in the Lake Erie fishing district and other waters wherein nets are licensed by law any trap net, crib net, fyke net, seine, carp apron, live car, or trotline without having painted, branded, stamped, or burned thereon, in legible letters not less than one inch in height and maintained in legible condition at all times, the name of the owner or person operating the net or other device. On trotlines, the name shall be located on tally buoys at each end of each trotline. On trap nets, crib nets, and fyke nets, the name shall be located on the uphaul buoy of any net set singly or of the first and last net of any string of nets. On dip nets, the name shall be located on the lifting pole. On seines, the name shall be located on either brail. On carp aprons, the name shall be located on a board or metal plate attached to either end of the line running across the top of the net. On live cars or other holding devices, except a pond used in holding live commercial species of fish, the name shall be located on the top of the live car or other holding device.

Each net, seine, carp apron, or string of nets not legibly marked as prescribed in this section constitutes a separate offense and is a public nuisance. Such an unmarked fishing device or parts thereof shall be seized and held for evidence or for forfeiture proceedings as provided in section 1531.20 of the Revised Code.

The chief of the division of wildlife may provide by division rule the manner in which any device used in commercial fishing and referred to in this chapter or Chapter 1531. of the Revised Code shall be marked and the manner in which the marker shall be displayed. The chief may require that the devices be marked individually or in the aggregate and that the markers be displayed upon each device, at intervals, or in any other manner.

No person shall fail to comply with any provision of this section or division rule adopted pursuant thereto. No person shall remove, destroy, or tamper with any marker that is placed on a commercial fishing device in accordance with this section or any division rule adopted pursuant to it.

Effective Date: 10-20-1994.