50 C.F.R. § 622.40 Limitations on traps and pots.
Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries
(a) Tending—(1) Caribbean EEZ. A fish trap or Caribbean spiny lobster trap in the Caribbean EEZ may be pulled or tended only by a person (other than an authorized officer) aboard the fish trap or spiny lobster trap owner's vessel, or aboard another vessel if such vessel has on board written consent of the trap owner, or if the trap owner is aboard and has documentation verifying his identification number and color code. An owner's written consent must specify the time period such consent is effective and the trap owner's gear identification number and color code. (2) Gulf EEZ. A fish trap in the Gulf EEZ may be pulled or tended only by a person (other than an authorized officer) aboard the vessel with the fish trap endorsement to fish such trap. If such vessel has a breakdown that prevents it from retrieving its traps, the owner or operator must immediately notify the nearest NMFS Office of Enforcement and must obtain authorization for another vessel to retrieve and land its traps. The request for such authorization must include the requested effective period for the retrieval and landing, the persons and vessel to be authorized to retrieve the traps, and the point of landing of the traps. Such authorization will be specific as to the effective period, authorized persons and vessel, and point of landing. Such authorization is valid solely for the removal of fish traps from the EEZ and for harvest of fish incidental to such removal. (3) South Atlantic EEZ. A sea bass pot or golden crab trap in the South Atlantic EEZ may be pulled or tended only by a person (other than an authorized officer) aboard the vessel permitted to fish such pot or trap or aboard another vessel if such vessel has on board written consent of the owner or operator of the vessel so permitted. For golden crab only, a vessel with written consent on board must also possess a valid commercial vessel permit for golden crab. (b) Escape mechanisms—(1) Caribbean EEZ. (i) A fish trap used or possessed in the Caribbean EEZ must have a panel located on one side of the trap, excluding the top, bottom, and side containing the trap entrance. The opening covered by the panel must measure not less than 8 by 8 inches (20.3 by 20.3 cm). The mesh size of the panel may not be smaller than the mesh size of the trap. The panel must be attached to the trap with untreated jute twine with a diameter not exceeding 1/8 inch (3.2 mm). An access door may serve as the panel, provided it is on an appropriate side, it is hinged only at its bottom, its only other fastening is untreated jute twine with a diameter not exceeding 1/8 inch (3.2 mm), and such fastening is at the top of the door so that the door will fall open when such twine degrades. Jute twine used to secure a panel may not be wrapped or overlapped. (ii) A spiny lobster trap used or possessed in the Caribbean EEZ must contain on any vertical side or on the top a panel no smaller in diameter than the throat or entrance of the trap. The panel must be made of or attached to the trap by one of the following degradable materials: (A) Untreated fiber of biological origin with a diameter not exceeding (B) Ungalvanized or uncoated iron wire with a diameter not exceeding (2) Gulf EEZ. A fish trap used or possessed in the Gulf EEZ must have at least two escape windows on each of two sides, excluding the bottom (a total of four escape windows), that are 2 by 2 inches (5.1 by 5.1 cm) or larger. In addition, a fish trap must have a panel or access door located opposite each side of the trap that has a funnel. The opening covered by each panel or access door must be 144 in2 (929 cm2 ) or larger, with one dimension of the area equal to or larger than the largest interior axis of the trap's throat (funnel) with no other dimension less than 6 inches (15.2 cm). The hinges and fasteners of each panel or access door must be constructed of one of the following degradable materials: (i) Untreated jute string with a diameter not exceeding (ii) Magnesium alloy, time float releases (pop-up devices) or similar magnesium alloy fasteners. (3) South Atlantic EEZ. (i) A sea bass pot that is used or possessed in the South Atlantic EEZ between 35°15.19' N. lat. (due east of Cape Hatteras Light, NC) and 28°35.1' N. lat. (due east of the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building, Cape Canaveral, FL) is required to have— (A) On at least one side, excluding top and bottom, a panel or door with an opening equal to or larger than the interior end of the trap's throat (funnel). The hinges and fasteners of each panel or door must be made of one of the following degradable materials: (1) Ungalvanized or uncoated iron wire with a diameter not exceeding 0.041 inches (1.0 mm), that is, 19 gauge wire. (2) Galvanic timed-release mechanisms with a letter grade designation (degradability index) no higher than J. (B) An unobstructed escape vent opening on at least two opposite vertical sides, excluding top and bottom. The minimum dimensions of an escape vent opening (based on inside measurement) are: (1) 1 (2) 1.75 by 1.75 inches (4.5 by 4.5 cm) for a square vent. (3) 2.0-inch (5.1-cm) diameter for a round vent. (ii) A golden crab trap that is used or possessed in the South Atlantic EEZ must have at least one escape gap or escape ring on each of two opposite vertical sides. The minimum allowable inside dimensions of an escape gap are 2.75 by 3.75 inches (7.0 by 9.5 cm); the minimum allowable inside diameter of an escape ring is 4.5 inches (11.4 cm). In addition to the escape gaps— (A) A golden crab trap constructed of webbing must have an opening (slit) at least 1 ft (30.5 cm) long that may be closed (relaced) only with untreated cotton string no larger than (B) A golden crab trap constructed of material other than webbing must have an escape panel or door measuring at least 11 7/8 by 11 7/8 inches (30.2 by 30.2 cm), located on at least one side, excluding top and bottom. The hinges or fasteners of such door or panel must be made of either ungalvanized or uncoated iron wire no larger than 19 gauge (0.04 inch (1.0 mm) in diameter) or untreated cotton string no larger than (c) Construction requirements and mesh sizes—(1) Caribbean EEZ. A bare-wire fish trap used or possessed in the EEZ that has hexagonal mesh openings must have a minimum mesh size of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) in the smallest dimension measured between centers of opposite strands. A bare-wire fish trap used or possessed in the EEZ that has other than hexagonal mesh openings or a fish trap of other than bare wire, such as coated wire or plastic, used or possessed in the EEZ, must have a minimum mesh size of 2.0 inches (5.1 cm) in the smallest dimension measured between centers of opposite strands. (2) Gulf EEZ. A fish trap used or possessed in the Gulf EEZ must meet all of the following mesh size requirements (based on centerline measurements between opposite wires or netting strands): (i) A minimum of 2 in2 (12.9 cm2 ) opening for each mesh. (ii) One-inch (2.5-cm) minimum length for the shortest side. (iii) Minimum distance of 1 inch (2.5 cm) between parallel sides of rectangular openings, and 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) between parallel sides of square openings and of mesh openings with more than four sides. (iv) One and nine-tenths inches (4.8 cm) minimum distance for diagonal measures of mesh. (3) South Atlantic EEZ. (i) A sea bass pot used or possessed in the South Atlantic EEZ must have mesh sizes as follows (based on centerline measurements between opposite, parallel wires or netting strands): (A) Hexagonal mesh (chicken wire)—at least 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) between the wrapped sides; (B) Square mesh—at least 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) between sides; or (C) Rectangular mesh—at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) between the longer sides and 2 inches (5.1 cm) between the shorter sides. (ii) A golden crab trap deployed or possessed in the South Atlantic EEZ may not exceed 64 ft3 (1.8 m3 ) in volume in the northern zone or 48 ft3 (1.4 m3 ) in volume in the middle and southern zones. See §622.17(b) for specification of the golden crab zones. (d) Area-specific restrictions—(1) Gulf EEZ. In the Gulf EEZ, a fish trap may be pulled or tended only from official sunrise to official sunset. The operator of a vessel from which a fish trap is deployed in the Gulf EEZ must retrieve all the vessel's fish traps and return them to port on each trip. A fish trap that is not returned to port on a trip, and its attached line and buoy, may be disposed of in any appropriate manner by the Assistant Administrator or an authorized officer. The owner of such trap and/or the operator of the responsible vessel is subject to appropriate civil penalties. A buoy that floats on the surface must be attached to each fish trap, or to each end trap of traps that are connected by a line, used in the Gulf EEZ. The maximum allowable size for a fish trap fished in the Gulf EEZ shoreward of the 50-fathom (91.4-m) isobath is 33 ft3 (0.9 m3 ) in volume. Fish trap volume is determined by measuring the external dimensions of the trap, and includes both the enclosed holding capacity of the trap and the volume of the funnel(s) within those dimensions. There is no size limitation for fish traps fished seaward of the 50-fathom (91.4-m) isobath. The maximum number of traps that may be assigned to, possessed, or fished in the Gulf EEZ by a vessel is 100. (2) South Atlantic EEZ. (i) In the South Atlantic EEZ, sea bass pots may not be used or possessed in multiple configurations, that is, two or more pots may not be attached one to another so that their overall dimensions exceed those allowed for an individual sea bass pot. This does not preclude connecting individual pots to a line, such as a “trawl” or trot line. (ii) Rope is the only material allowed to be used for a buoy line or mainline attached to a golden crab trap, except that wire cable is allowed for a mainline through December 31, 2002. [61 FR 34934, July 3, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 43959, Aug. 27, 1996; 62 FR 13988, Mar. 25, 1997; 63 FR 10568, Mar. 4, 1998; 63 FR 38303, July 16, 1998; 63 FR 57590, Oct. 28, 1998; 64 FR 3628, Jan. 25, 1999; 67 FR 22362, May 3, 2002; 70 FR 62081, Oct. 28, 2005]
Title 50: Wildlife and Fisheries
PART 622—FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC
Subpart C—Management Measures
§ 622.40 Limitations on traps and pots.
