R.I. Gen. Laws § 20-7-1: License required for taking of lobsters.

No person, either as principal, agent, or servant, shall, at any time, catch or take any lobster from any of the waters in the jurisdiction of this state, or place, set, keep, maintain, supervise, lift, raise, or draw in or from any of those waters, or cause to be placed, set, kept, maintained, supervised, lifted, raised, or drawn in or from any of those waters, any pot or other contrivance, designed or adapted for the catching or taking of lobsters, unless licensed to do so.