[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR600.10]

[Page 6-14]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
                         DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
 
PART 600--MAGNUSON-STEVENS ACT PROVISIONS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 600.10  Definitions.

    Unless defined otherwise in other parts of Chapter VI, the terms in 
this chapter have the following meanings:
    Administrator means the Administrator of NOAA (Under Secretary of 
Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere) or a designee.
    Advisory group means a Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC), 
Fishing Industry Advisory Committee (FIAC), or Advisory Panel (AP) 
established by a Council under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Agent, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), means a 
person appointed and maintained within the United States who is 
authorized to receive and respond to any legal process issued in the 
United States to an owner and/or operator of a vessel operating under a 
permit and of any other vessel

[[Page 7]]

of that Nation fishing subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. 
Any diplomatic official accepting such an appointment as designated 
agent waives diplomatic or other immunity in connection with such 
process.
    Aggregate or summary form means confidential data structured in such 
a way that the identity of the submitter cannot be determined either 
from the present release of the data or in combination with other 
releases.
    Albacore means the species Thunnus alalunga, or a part thereof.
    Allocated species means any species or species group allocated to a 
foreign nation under Sec. 600.517 for catching by vessels of that 
Nation.
    Allocation means direct and deliberate distribution of the 
opportunity to participate in a fishery among identifiable, discrete 
user groups or individuals.
    Allowable chemical means a substance, generally used to immobilize 
marine life so it can be captured alive, that, when introduced into the 
water, does not take Gulf and South Atlantic prohibited coral (as 
defined at 50 CFR 622.2) and is allowed by Florida or Hawaii or the U.S. 
Pacific Insular Area for the harvest of tropical fish.
    Anadromous species means species of fish that spawn in fresh or 
estuarine waters of the United States and that migrate to ocean waters.
    Angling means fishing for, attempting to fish for, catching or 
attempting to catch fish by any person (angler) with a hook attached to 
a line that is hand-held or by rod and reel made for this purpose.
    Area of custody means any vessel, building, vehicle, live car, 
pound, pier or dock facility where fish might be found.
    Assistant Administrator means the Assistant Administrator for 
Fisheries, NOAA, or a designee.
    Atlantic tunas means bluefin, albacore, bigeye, skipjack, and 
yellowfin tunas found in the Atlantic Ocean.
    Atlantic Tunas Convention Act means the Atlantic Tunas Convention 
Act of 1975, 16 U.S.C. 971-971h.
    Authorized officer means:
    (1) Any commissioned, warrant, or petty officer of the USCG;
    (2) Any special agent or fishery enforcement officer of NMFS;
    (3) Any officer designated by the head of any Federal or state 
agency that has entered into an agreement with the Secretary and the 
Commandant of the USCG to enforce the provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act or any other statute administered by NOAA; or
    (4) Any USCG personnel accompanying and acting under the direction 
of any person described in paragraph (1) of this definition.
    Authorized species means any species or species group that a foreign 
vessel is authorized to retain in a joint venture by a permit issued 
under Activity Code 4 as described by Sec. 600.501(c).
    Bandit gear means vertical hook and line gear with rods that are 
attached to the vessel when in use. Lines are retrieved by manual, 
electric, or hydraulic reels.
    Barrier net means a small-mesh net used to capture coral reef or 
coastal pelagic fishes.
    Bigeye tuna means the species Thunnus obesus, or a part thereof.
    Billfish means blue marlin, longbill spearfish, sailfish, or white 
marlin.
    Bluefin tuna means the species Thunnus thynnus, or a part thereof.
    Blue marlin means the species Makaira nigricans, or a part thereof.
    Bully net means a circular frame attached at right angles to a pole 
and supporting a conical bag of webbing.
    Buoy gear means fishing gear consisting of a float and one or more 
lines suspended therefrom. A hook or hooks are on the lines at or near 
the end. The float and line(s) drift freely and are retrieved 
periodically to remove catch and rebait hooks.
    Carcass means a fish in whole condition or that portion of a fish 
that has been gilled and/or gutted and the head and some or all fins 
have been removed, but that is otherwise in whole condition.
    Cast net means a circular net with weights attached to the 
perimeter.
    Catch limit means the total allowable harvest or take from a single 
fishing trip or day, as defined in this section.
    Catch, take, or harvest includes, but is not limited to, any 
activity that results in killing any fish or bringing any live fish on 
board a vessel.

[[Page 8]]

    Center means one of the five NMFS Fisheries Science Centers.
    Charter boat means a vessel less than 100 gross tons (90.8 mt) that 
meets the requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard to carry six or fewer 
passengers for hire.
    Coast Guard Commander means one of the commanding officers of the 
Coast Guard units specified in Table 1 of Sec. 600.502, or a designee.
    Codend means the terminal, closed end of a trawl net.
    Confidential statistics are those submitted as a requirement of an 
FMP and that reveal the business or identity of the submitter.
    Continental shelf fishery resources means the species listed under 
section 3(7) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Council means one of the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils 
established by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Data, statistics, and information are used interchangeably.
    Dealer means the person who first receives fish by way of purchase, 
barter, or trade.
    Designated representative means the person appointed by a foreign 
nation and maintained within the United States who is responsible for 
transmitting information to and submitting reports from vessels of that 
Nation and establishing observer transfer arrangements for vessels in 
both directed and joint venture activities.
    Dip net means a small mesh bag, sometimes attached to a handle, 
shaped and framed in various ways. It is operated by hand or partially 
by mechanical power to capture the fish.
    Directed fishing, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), 
means any fishing by the vessels of a foreign nation for allocations of 
fish granted that Nation under Sec. 600.517.
    Director means the Director of the Office of Sustainable Fisheries, 
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
    Discard means to release or return fish to the sea, whether or not 
such fish are brought fully on board a fishing vessel.
    Dredge means a gear consisting of a mouth frame attached to a 
holding bag constructed of metal rings or mesh.
    Drop net means a small, usually circular net with weight around the 
perimeter and a float in the center.
    Essential fish habitat (EFH) means those waters and substrate 
necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to 
maturity. For the purpose of interpreting the definition of essential 
fish habitat: ``Waters'' include aquatic areas and their associated 
physical, chemical, and biological properties that are used by fish and 
may include aquatic areas historically used by fish where appropriate; 
``substrate'' includes sediment, hard bottom, structures underlying the 
waters, and associated biological communities; ``necessary'' means the 
habitat required to support a sustainable fishery and the managed 
species' contribution to a healthy ecosystem; and ``spawning, breeding, 
feeding, or growth to maturity'' covers a species' full life cycle.
    Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) means the zone established by 
Presidential Proclamation 5030, 3 CFR part 22, dated March 10, 1983, and 
is that area adjacent to the United States which, except where modified 
to accommodate international boundaries, encompasses all waters from the 
seaward boundary of each of the coastal states to a line on which each 
point is 200 nautical miles (370.40 km) from the baseline from which the 
territorial sea of the United States is measured.
    Exempted educational activity means an activity, conducted by an 
educational institution accredited by a recognized national or 
international accreditation body, of limited scope and duration, that is 
otherwise prohibited by part 285 or chapter VI of this title, but that 
is authorized by the appropriate Director or Regional Administrator for 
educational purposes.
    Exempted or experimental fishing means fishing from a vessel of the 
United States that involves activities otherwise prohibited by part 285 
or chapter VI of this title, but that are authorized under an exempted 
fishing permit (EFP). These regulations refer exclusively to exempted 
fishing. References in part 285 of this title and elsewhere in this 
chapter to experimental fishing mean exempted fishing under this part.

[[Page 9]]

    Fillet means to remove slices of fish flesh from the carcass by cuts 
made parallel to the backbone.
    Fish means:
    (1) When used as a noun, means any finfish, mollusk, crustacean, or 
parts thereof, and all other forms of marine animal and plant life other 
than marine mammals and birds.
    (2) When used as a verb, means to engage in ``fishing,'' as defined 
below.
    Fishery means:
    (1) One or more stocks of fish that can be treated as a unit for 
purposes of conservation and management and that are identified on the 
basis of geographic, scientific, technical, recreational, or economic 
characteristics, or method of catch; or
    (2) Any fishing for such stocks.
    Fishery management unit (FMU) means a fishery or that portion of a 
fishery identified in an FMP relevant to the FMP's management 
objectives. The choice of an FMU depends on the focus of the FMP's 
objectives, and may be organized around biological, geographic, 
economic, technical, social, or ecological perspectives.
    Fishery resource means any fish, any stock of fish, any species of 
fish, and any habitat of fish.
    Fishing, or to fish means any activity, other than scientific 
research conducted by a scientific research vessel, that involves:
    (1) The catching, taking, or harvesting of fish;
    (2) The attempted catching, taking, or harvesting of fish;
    (3) Any other activity that can reasonably be expected to result in 
the catching, taking, or harvesting of fish; or
    (4) Any operations at sea in support of, or in preparation for, any 
activity described in paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of this definition.
    Fishing vessel means any vessel, boat, ship, or other craft that is 
used for, equipped to be used for, or of a type that is normally used 
for:
    (1) Fishing; or
    (2) Aiding or assisting one or more vessels at sea in the 
performance of any activity relating to fishing, including, but not 
limited to, preparation, supply, storage, refrigeration, transportation, 
or processing.
    Fish weir means a large catching arrangement with a collecting 
chamber that is made of non-textile material (wood, wicker) instead of 
netting as in a pound net.
    Foreign fishing means fishing by a foreign fishing vessel.
    Foreign fishing vessel (FFV) means any fishing vessel other than a 
vessel of the United States, except those foreign vessels engaged in 
recreational fishing, as defined in this section.
    Gear conflict means any incident at sea involving one or more 
fishing vessels:
    (1) In which one fishing vessel or its gear comes into contact with 
another vessel or the gear of another vessel; and
    (2) That results in the loss of, or damage to, a fishing vessel, 
fishing gear, or catch.
    Gillnet means a panel of netting, suspended vertically in the water 
by floats along the top and weights along the bottom, to entangle fish 
that attempt to pass through it.
    Governing International Fishery Agreement (GIFA) means an agreement 
between the United States and a foreign nation or Nations under section 
201(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
    Grants Officer means the NOAA official authorized to sign, on behalf 
of the Government, the cooperative agreement providing funds to support 
the Council's operations and functions.
    Greenwich mean time (GMT) means the local mean time at Greenwich, 
England. All times in this part are GMT unless otherwise specified.
    Handgear means handline, harpoon, or rod and reel.
    Hand harvest means harvesting by hand.
    Handline means fishing gear that is set and pulled by hand and 
consists of one vertical line to which may be attached leader lines with 
hooks.
    Harass means to unreasonably interfere with an individual's work 
performance, or to engage in conduct that creates an intimidating, 
hostile, or offensive environment.
    Harpoon or harpoon gear means fishing gear consisting of a pointed 
dart or iron attached to the end of a line several hundred feet in 
length, the other end of which is attached to a floatation

[[Page 10]]

device. Harpoon gear is attached to a pole or stick that is propelled 
only by hand, and not by mechanical means.
    Headboat means a vessel that holds a valid Certificate of Inspection 
issued by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry passengers for hire.
    Hook and line means one or more hooks attached to one or more lines 
(can include a troll).
    Hoop net means a cone-shaped or flat net which may or may not have 
throats and flues stretched over a series of rings or hoops for support.
    Industry means both recreational and commercial fishing, and 
includes the harvesting, processing, and marketing sectors.
    International radio call sign (IRCS) means the unique radio 
identifier assigned a vessel by the appropriate authority of the flag 
state.
    Joint venture means any operation by a foreign vessel assisting 
fishing by U.S. fishing vessels, including catching, scouting, 
processing and/or support. (A joint venture generally entails a foreign 
vessel processing fish received from U.S. fishing vessels and conducting 
associated support activities.)
    Lampara net means a surround net with the sections of netting made 
and joined to create bagging. It is hauled with purse rings and is 
generally much smaller in size than a purse seine net.
    Land means to begin offloading fish, to offload fish, or to arrive 
in port or at a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp.
    Longbill spearfish means the species Tetrapturus pfluegeri, or a 
part thereof.
    Longline means a line that is deployed horizontally and to which 
gangions and hooks or pots are attached. Longlines can be stationary, 
anchored, or buoyed lines that may be hauled manually, electrically, or 
hydraulically.
    Magnuson-Stevens Act means the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation 
and Management Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), formerly known 
as the Magnuson Act.
    Metric ton (mt) means 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb).
    nm means nautical mile (6,076 ft (1,852 m)).
    Official number means the documentation number issued by the USCG or 
the certificate number issued by a state or by the USCG for an 
undocumented vessel.
    Operator, with respect to any vessel, means the master or other 
individual aboard and in charge of that vessel.
    Optimum yield (OY) means the amount of fish that:
    (1) Will provide the greatest overall benefit to the Nation, 
particularly with respect to food production and recreational 
opportunities, and taking into account the protection of marine 
ecosystems;
    (2) Is prescribed as such on the basis of the maximum sustainable 
yield from the fishery, as reduced by any relevant economic, social, or 
ecological factor; and
    (3) In the case of an overfished fishery, provides for rebuilding to 
a level consistent with producing the maximum sustainable yield in such 
fishery.
    Owner, with respect to any vessel, means:
    (1) Any person who owns that vessel in whole or in part;
    (2) Any charterer of the vessel, whether bareboat, time, or voyage;
    (3) Any person who acts in the capacity of a charterer, including, 
but not limited to, parties to a management agreement, operating 
agreement, or any similar agreement that bestows control over the 
destination, function, or operation of the vessel; or
    (4) Any agent designated as such by a person described in paragraph 
(1), (2), or (3) of this definition.
    Plan Team means a Council working group selected from agencies, 
institutions, and organizations having a role in the research and/or 
management of fisheries, whose primary purpose is to assist the Council 
in the preparation and/or review of FMPs, amendments, and supporting 
documents for the Council, and/or SSC and AP.
    Postmark means independently verifiable evidence of the date of 
mailing, such as a U.S. Postal Service postmark, or other private 
carrier postmark, certified mail receipt, overnight mail receipt, or a 
receipt issued upon hand delivery to a representative of NMFS authorized 
to collect fishery statistics.
    Pot means trap.

[[Page 11]]

    Powerhead means any device with an explosive charge, usually 
attached to a spear gun, spear, pole, or stick, that may or may not fire 
a projectile upon contact.
    Predominately means, with respect to fishing in a fishery, that more 
fishing on a stock or stocks of fish covered by the FMP occurs, or would 
occur in the absence of regulations, within or beyond the EEZ than 
occurs in the aggregate within the boundaries of all states off the 
coasts of which the fishery is conducted.
    Processing, for the purpose of foreign fishing (subpart F), means 
any operation by an FFV to receive fish from foreign or U.S. fishing 
vessels and/or the preparation of fish, including, but not limited to, 
cleaning, cooking, canning, smoking, salting, drying, or freezing, 
either on the FFV's behalf or to assist other foreign or U.S. fishing 
vessels.
    Product recovery rate (PRR) means a ratio expressed as a percentage 
of the weight of processed product divided by the round weight of fish 
used to produce that amount of product.
    Prohibited species, with respect to a foreign vessel, means any 
species of fish that that vessel is not specifically allocated or 
authorized to retain, including fish caught or received in excess of any 
allocation or authorization.
    Purchase means the act or activity of buying, trading, or bartering, 
or attempting to buy, trade, or barter.
    Purse seine means a floated and weighted encircling net that is 
closed by means of a drawstring threaded through rings attached to the 
bottom of the net.
    Recreational fishing, with respect to a foreign vessel, means any 
fishing from a foreign vessel not operated for profit and not operated 
for the purpose of scientific research. It may not involve the sale, 
barter, or trade of part or all of the catch (see Sec. 600.513).
    Retain on board means to fail to return fish to the sea after a 
reasonable opportunity to sort the catch.
    Region mean one of five NMFS Regional Offices responsible for 
administering the management and development of marine resources in the 
United States in their respective geographical regions.
    Regional Administrator means the Administrator of one of the five 
NMFS Regions described in Table 1 of Sec. 600.502, or a designee. 
Formerly known as Regional Director.
    Regional Program Officer means the NMFS official designated in the 
terms and conditions of the grant award responsible for monitoring, 
recommending, and reviewing any technical aspects of the application for 
Federal assistance and the award.
    Rod and reel means a hand-held (including rod holder) fishing rod 
with a manually or electrically operated reel attached.
    Round means a whole fish--one that has not been gilled, gutted, 
beheaded, or definned.
    Round weight means the weight of the whole fish before processing or 
removal of any part.
    Sailfish means the species Istiophorus platypterus, or a part 
thereof.
    Sale or sell means the act or activity of transferring property for 
money or credit, trading, or bartering, or attempting to so transfer, 
trade, or barter.
    Science and Research Director means the Director of one of the five 
NMFS Fisheries Science Centers described in Table 1 of Sec. 600.502 of 
this part, or a designee, also known as Center Director.
    Scientific cruise means the period of time during which a scientific 
research vessel is operated in furtherance of a scientific research 
project, beginning when the vessel leaves port to undertake the project 
and ending when the vessel completes the project as provided for in the 
applicable scientific research plan.
    Scientific research activity is, for the purposes of this part, an 
activity in furtherance of a scientific fishery investigation or study 
that would meet the definition of fishing under the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act, but for the exemption applicable to scientific research activity 
conducted from a scientific research vessel. Scientific research 
activity includes, but is not limited to, sampling, collecting, 
observing, or surveying the fish or fishery resources within the EEZ, at 
sea, on board scientific research vessels, to increase scientific 
knowledge of the fishery resources or their environment, or to

[[Page 12]]

test a hypothesis as part of a planned, directed investigation or study 
conducted according to methodologies generally accepted as appropriate 
for scientific research. At-sea scientific fishery investigations 
address one or more issues involving taxonomy, biology, physiology, 
behavior, disease, aging, growth, mortality, migration, recruitment, 
distribution, abundance, ecology, stock structure, bycatch, and catch 
estimation of finfish and shellfish (invertebrate) species considered to 
be a component of the fishery resources within the EEZ. Scientific 
research activity does not include the collection and retention of fish 
outside the scope of the applicable research plan, or the testing of 
fishing gear. Data collection designed to capture and land quantities of 
fish or invertebrates for product development, market research, and/or 
public display are not scientific research activities and must be 
permitted under exempted fishing procedures. For foreign vessels, such 
data collection activities are considered scientific research if they 
are carried out in full cooperation with the United States.
    Scientific research plan means a detailed, written formulation, 
prepared in advance of the research, for the accomplishment of a 
scientific research project. At a minimum, a sound scientific research 
plan should include:
    (1) A description of the nature and objectives of the project, 
including the hypothesis or hypotheses to be tested.
    (2) The experimental design of the project, including a description 
of the methods to be used, the type and class of any vessel(s) to be 
used, and a description of sampling equipment.
    (3) The geographical area(s) in which the project is to be 
conducted.
    (4) The expected date of first appearance and final departure of the 
research vessel(s) to be employed, and deployment and removal of 
equipment, as appropriate.
    (5) The expected quantity and species of fish to be taken and their 
intended disposition, and, if significant amounts of a managed species 
or species otherwise restricted by size or sex are needed, an 
explanation of such need.
    (6) The name, address, and telephone/telex/fax number of the 
sponsoring organization and its director.
    (7) The name, address, and telephone/telex/fax number, and 
curriculum vitae of the person in charge of the project and, where 
different, the person in charge of the research project on board the 
vessel.
    (8) The identity of any vessel(s) to be used including, but not 
limited to, the vessel's name, official documentation number and IRCS, 
home port, and name, address, and telephone number of the owner and 
master.
    Scientific research vessel means a vessel owned or chartered by, and 
controlled by, a foreign government agency, U.S. Government agency 
(including NOAA or institutions designated as federally funded research 
and development centers), U.S. state or territorial agency, university 
(or other educational institution accredited by a recognized national or 
international accreditation body), international treaty organization, or 
scientific institution. In order for a vessel that is owned or chartered 
and controlled by a foreign government to meet this definition, the 
vessel must have scientific research as its exclusive mission during the 
scientific cruise in question and the vessel operations must be 
conducted in accordance with a scientific research plan.
    Scouting means any operation by a vessel exploring (on the behalf of 
an FFV or U.S. fishing vessel) for the presence of fish by visual, 
acoustic, or other means that do not involve the catching of fish.
    Secretary means the Secretary of Commerce or a designee.
    Seine means a net with long narrow wings, that is rigged with floats 
and weights.
    Skipjack tuna means the species Katsuwonus pelamis, or a part 
thereof.
    Slurp gun means a tube-shaped suction device that operates somewhat 
like a syringe by sucking up the fish.
    Snare means a device consisting of a pole to which is attached a 
line forming at its end a loop with a running knot that tightens around 
the fish when the line is pulled.
    Spear means a sharp, pointed, or barbed instrument on a shaft. 
Spears

[[Page 13]]

can be operated manually or shot from a gun or sling.
    State means each of the several states, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, 
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other Commonwealth, 
territory, or possession of the United States.
    State employee means any employee of the state agency responsible 
for developing and monitoring the state's program for marine and/or 
anadromous fisheries.
    Statement of Organization, Practices, and Procedures (SOPP) means a 
statement by each Council describing its organization, practices, and 
procedures as required under section 302(f)(6) of the Magnuson-Stevens 
Act.
    Stock assessment means the process of collecting and analyzing 
biological and statistical information to determine the changes in the 
abundance of fishery stocks in response to fishing, and, to the extent 
possible, to predict future trends of stock abundance. Stock assessments 
are based on resource surveys; knowledge of the habitat requirements, 
life history, and behavior of the species; the use of environmental 
indices to determine impacts on stocks; and catch statistics. Stock 
assessments are used as a basis to ``assess and specify the present and 
probable future condition of a fishery'' (as is required by the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act), and are summarized in the Stock Assessment and 
Fishery Evaluation or similar document.
    Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) means a document or 
set of documents that provides Councils with a summary of the most 
recent biological condition of species in an FMU, and the social and 
economic condition of the recreational and commercial fishing industries 
and the fish processing industries. It summarizes, on a periodic basis, 
the best available scientific information concerning the past, present, 
and possible future condition of the stocks and fisheries being managed 
under Federal regulation.
    Submersible means a manned or unmanned device that functions or 
operates primarily underwater and is used to harvest fish, i.e., 
precious corals, with mechanical arms.
    Substantially (affects) means, for the purpose of subpart G, with 
respect to whether a state's action or omission will substantially 
affect the carrying out of an FMP for a fishery, that those effects are 
important or material, or considerable in degree. The effects of a 
state's action or omission for purposes of this definition include 
effects upon:
    (1) The achievement of the FMP's goals or objectives for the 
fishery;
    (2) The achievement of OY from the fishery on a continuing basis;
    (3) The attainment of the national standards for fishery 
conservation and management (as set forth in section 301(a) of the 
Magnuson-Stevens Act) and compliance with other applicable law; or
    (4) The enforcement of regulations implementing the FMP.
    Support means any operation by a vessel assisting fishing by foreign 
or U.S. vessels, including supplying water, fuel, provisions, fish 
processing equipment, or other supplies to a fishing vessel.
    Swordfish means the species Xiphias gladius, or a part thereof.
    Tangle net dredge means dredge gear consisting of weights and flimsy 
netting that hangs loosely in order to immediately entangle fish.
    Total length (TL) means the straight-line distance from the tip of 
the snout to the tip of the tail (caudal fin) while the fish is lying on 
its side, normally extended.
    Trammel net means a net consisting of two or more panels of netting, 
suspended vertically in the water column by a common float line and a 
common weight line. One panel of netting has a larger mesh size than the 
other(s) in order to entrap fish in a pocket.
    Transship means offloading and onloading or otherwise transferring 
fish or fish products and/or transporting fish or products made from 
fish.
    Trap means a portable, enclosed device with one or more gates or 
entrances and one or more lines attached to surface floats. Also called 
a pot.
    Trawl means a cone or funnel-shaped net that is towed through the 
water, and can include a pair trawl that is towed simultaneously by two 
boats.

[[Page 14]]

    Trip means the time period that begins when a fishing vessel departs 
from a dock, berth, beach, seawall, ramp, or port to carry out fishing 
operations and that terminates with a return to a dock, berth, beach, 
seawall, ramp, or port.
    U.S. observer or observer means any person serving in the capacity 
of an observer employed by NMFS, either directly or under contract, or 
certified as a supplementary observer by NMFS.
    Vessel of the United States or U.S. vessel means:
    (1) Any vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46, United 
States Code;
    (2) Any vessel numbered under chapter 123 of title 46, United States 
Code, and measuring less than 5 net tons;
    (3) Any vessel numbered under chapter 123 of title 46, United States 
Code, and used exclusively for pleasure; or
    (4) Any vessel not equipped with propulsion machinery of any kind 
and used exclusively for pleasure.
    White marlin means the species Tetrapturus albidus, or a part 
thereof.
    Yellowfin tuna means the species Thunnus albacares, or a part 
thereof.

[61 FR 32540, June 24, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 14646, Mar. 27, 1997; 
62 FR 66551, Dec. 19, 1997; 63 FR 7073, 7075, Feb. 12, 1998; 64 FR 4036, 
Jan. 27, 1999; 64 FR 29133, May 28, 1999; 64 FR 67516, Dec. 2, 1999; 67 
FR 2375, Jan. 17, 2002]