(a) No person may engage in business as a commercial fisherman unless he has obtained a general commercial fisherman's license.
(b) The license fee for a general commercial fisherman's license is $15 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more.
(c) The license fee for a nonresident general commercial fisherman's license is $100 or an amount set by the commission, whichever amount is more. A nonresident who is residing in a state that denies the privilege of commercial fishing in that state to a Texas resident because of residency status is not eligible for a nonresident general commercial fisherman's license.
(d) A person who is in a vessel licensed under this chapter as a menhaden boat and who takes menhaden is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license.
(e) A person who catches or assists in catching shrimp on a vessel licensed as a commercial shrimp boat under Chapter 77 is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. The exemption provided by this section applies even though aquatic life other than shrimp are caught if that catching is incidental to lawful shrimping.
(f) A person who takes or assists in taking oysters on a vessel licensed as a commercial oyster boat under Chapter 76 is required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license. This subsection does not apply to the holder of a commercial oyster boat captain's license.
(g) A person who is licensed as a bait dealer under this chapter is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license if the person is catching bait only.
(h) A person who engages in or assists in commercial crab fishing under Subchapter B, Chapter 78, and who holds a license for that activity is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license or a commercial fishing boat license.
(i) A person who engages in commercial finfish fishing under Subchapter D and who holds a commercial finfish fisherman's license issued under Subchapter D in their immediate possession is not required to obtain or possess a general commercial fisherman's license.