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That is true for the federal licenses but for RI licenses I don't think that is correct. I'm pretty sure that two or three RR commercials can share a boat and all land their daily limits as long as they stay in state waters.
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No, not anymore. The reg was changed maybe 4 or 5 years ago (I have held a Rhode Island commercial license since their inception). You can have as many anglers as you want (Rec or Comm) , but can only keep the commercial quota for the boat; that is why I am issued a License (credit card type) AND boat sticker...believe me, this reg gets hammered at during all advisory and MFC mtgs during the winter....it was changed as I stated above- because draggers and charter boats were taking licensed quotas for all people who held a license; in effect, if there were 5 licensed deckhands on a dragger, 30 bass would be landed, i.e., a mate and captain on a charter boat would sell 10 fish (plus have all paying charters fish onboard, also)....because of all the loopholes RIDEM changed it to a boat "bag". Local gossip has it that pilot sector boats deckhands were bringing in fluke and putting it on their logbooks as rod/reel fish (RIDEM SAFIS landings showed fluke caught by rod and reel in the winter...now you know that ain't gonna happen) this past winter.
As stated previously, I and others, would love it to be "licensed based quota" to save on fuel expense, but if the alternative is to keep the commercial fishery as "clean" as possible, I'd rather have it be the way it is now (boat based quota)......