Section 830.5  Definitions

a)         A relic (dead) mussel shell is defined as one which apparently died of natural causes within the water and contains no meat or soft parts; it readily exhibits noticeable sediment, vegetation, algal or mineral stains, discolorations, soiling, weathering or other visual evidence on its interior surface which clearly and unambiguously shows the mussel shell has not been cooked-out or freshly cleaned.

b)         A legal size mussel for a particular species is defined as a mussel size as set out in Section 830.70 which will not pass through a minimum harvest size circle cutout in a metal plate.

c)         Basket dredge − mussel harvesting device consisting of a heavy metal box or square which collects the shells in a net or wire cage, weighs over 70 pounds, and is not operated by hand as described in subsection (e).

d)         Hand dredge (hand rake, hand powered rake) − mussel harvesting device weighing less than 70 pounds consisting of a metal frame having coarse teeth on the bottom to which a bag constructed of wire mesh or netting material is attached and fastened by a line to a boom attached to the bow of the boat and held on the bottom by means of a long handle.

e)         Hand fork − mussel harvesting device similar in appearance to a common cornfork and utilized while wading.

f)          Mechanical devices − refers to dredges and suction devices operated by motorized (internal combustion or electrical) power used in the actual harvest of mussels and does not refer to the manner in which the mussel harvest device is raised into the boat or the device used in propelling the boat.

g)         Commercial fishing – includes the commercial harvest of both legal fish and legal crayfish.

h)         Bar mesh measure − all net mesh measurements shall be determined by bar measure from the outside of one knot to the inside of the adjoining knot on the same thread or strand.

(Source:  Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 13187, effective August 30, 2007)