(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of the commercial fishing laws, in order to provide a sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, S. purpuratus and S. droebachiensis) commercial fishery with optimum profits to those engaged in the fishery and to prevent a concentration of fishing effort that would deplete the resource, the State Fish and Wildlife Commission, by rule, shall establish a system for limiting participation in the sea urchin commercial fishery. Any such system may include, but is not limited to, provisions on the following matters:

(a) Establishment of criteria for initial entry into fishery participation and for annual qualification for participation thereafter.

(b) Establishment of terms and conditions for transferring participation rights.

(2)(a) The annual fee to participate in the sea urchin fishery is:

(A) $125 for resident applicants.

(B) $175 for nonresident applicants.

(b) A fee of $100 shall be charged for each transfer of participation rights under this section. [1987 c.374 § 2; 1991 c.701 § 12; 1995 c.602 § 2; 2009 c.832 § 27; 2011 c.613 § 3; 2015 c.779 § 36]