A Rhode Island rule criticized by paddlers as being bureaucratic red tape is being changed, according to an article on EcoRI.org.
The 3-year-old Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management fishing rule was designed to regulate boaters’ use of access points on rivers and ponds. The rule requires that any group of six people and/or three boats is prohibited from going on a paddle without DEM permission. That permission must be obtained at least three weeks prior to the outing and, afterward, a report must be filed stating who went on the outing.
The rule was criticized by groups including the Rhode Island Rivers Council, the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association and the Rhode Island Canoe & Kayak Association.