[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: 50CFR622.35] [Page 177-181] TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PART 622--FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC--Table of Contents Subpart C--Management Measures Sec. 622.35 South Atlantic EEZ seasonal and/or area closures. (a) Allowable octocoral closed area. No person may harvest or possess allowable octocoral in the South Atlantic EEZ north of 28 deg.35.1[min] N. lat. (due east of the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building, Cape Canaveral, FL). (b) Longline closed areas. A longline may not be used to fish in the EEZ for South Atlantic snapper-grouper south of 27 deg.10[min] N. lat. (due east of the entrance to St. Lucie Inlet, FL); or north of 27 deg.10[min] N. lat. where the charted depth is less than 50 fathoms (91.4 m), as shown on the latest edition of the largest scale NOAA chart of the location. A person aboard a vessel with a longline on board that fishes on a trip in the [[Page 178]] South Atlantic EEZ south of 27 deg.10[min] N. lat., or north of 27 deg.10[min] N. lat. where the charted depth is less than 50 fathoms (91.4 m), is limited on that trip to the bag limit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper for which a bag limit is specified in Sec. 622.39(d)(1), and to zero for all other South Atlantic snapper-grouper. For the purpose of this paragraph, a vessel is considered to have a longline on board when a power-operated longline hauler, a cable or monofilament of diameter and length suitable for use in the longline fishery, and gangions are on board. Removal of any one of these three elements constitutes removal of a longline. (c) Oculina Bank--(1) HAPC. The Oculina Bank HAPC encompasses an area bounded on the north by 28 deg.30' N. lat., on the south by 27 deg.30' N. lat., on the east by the 100-fathom (183-m) contour, as shown on the latest edition of NOAA chart 11460, and on the west by 80 deg.00' W. long.; and two adjacent areas: the first bounded on the north by 28 deg.30' N. lat., on the south by 28 deg.29' N. lat., on the east by 80 deg.00' W. long., and on the west by 80 deg.03' W. long.; and the second bounded on the north by 28 deg.17' N. lat., on the south by 28 deg.16' N. lat., on the east by 80 deg.00 W. long., and on the west by 80 deg.03' W. long. In the Oculina Bank HAPC, no person may: (i) Use a bottom longline, bottom trawl, dredge, pot, or trap. (ii) If aboard a fishing vessel, anchor, use an anchor and chain, or use a grapple and chain. (iii) Fish for rock shrimp or possess rock shrimp in or from the area on board a fishing vessel. (2) Experimental closed area. Within the Oculina Bank HAPC, the experimental closed area is bounded on the north by 27 deg.53' N. lat., on the south by 27 deg.30' N. lat., on the east by 79 deg.56' W. long., and on the west by 80 deg.00' W. long. No person may fish for South Atlantic snapper-grouper in the experimental closed area, and no person may retain South Atlantic snapper-grouper in or from the area. In the experimental closed area, any South Atlantic snapper-grouper taken incidentally by hook-and-line gear must be released immediately by cutting the line without removing the fish from the water. (d) South Atlantic shrimp cold weather closure. (1) Pursuant to the procedures and criteria established in the FMP for the Shrimp Fishery of the South Atlantic Region, when Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, or South Carolina closes all or a portion of its waters of the South Atlantic to the harvest of brown, pink, and white shrimp, the Assistant Administrator may concurrently close the South Atlantic EEZ adjacent to the closed state waters by filing a notification of closure with the Office of the Federal Register. Closure of the adjacent EEZ will be effective until the ending date of the closure in state waters, but may be ended earlier based on the state's request. In the latter case, the Assistant Administrator will terminate a closure of the EEZ by filing a notification to that effect with the Office of the Federal Register. (2) During a closure, as specified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section-- (i) No person may trawl for brown shrimp, pink shrimp, or white shrimp in the closed portion of the EEZ (closed area); and no person may possess on board a fishing vessel brown shrimp, pink shrimp, or white shrimp in or from a closed area, except as authorized in paragraph (d)(2)(iii) of this section. (ii) No person aboard a vessel trawling in that part of a closed area that is within 25 nm of the baseline from which the territorial sea is measured may use or have on board a trawl net with a mesh size less than 4 inches (10.2 cm), as measured between the centers of opposite knots when pulled taut. (iii) Brown shrimp, pink shrimp, or white shrimp may be possessed on board a fishing vessel in a closed area, provided the vessel is in transit and all trawl nets with a mesh size less than 4 inches (10.2 cm), as measured between the centers of opposite knots when pulled taut, are stowed below deck while transiting the closed area. For the purpose of this paragraph, a vessel is in transit when it is on a direct and continuous course through a closed area. (e) SMZs. (1) The SMZs consist of artificial reefs and surrounding areas as follows: (i) Paradise Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.31.59[min] N. lat.; on the south [[Page 179]] by 33 deg.30.51[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.57.55[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.58.85[min] W. long. (ii) Ten Mile Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.26.65[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.24.80[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.51.08[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.52.97[min] W. long. (iii) Pawleys Island Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.26.58[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.25.76[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.00.29[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.01.24[min] W. long. (iv) Georgetown Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.14.90[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.13.85[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.59.45[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.00.65[min] W. long. (v) Capers Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.45.45[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.43.91[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.33.81[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.35.10[min] W. long. (vi) Kiawah Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.29.78[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.28.25[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.59.00[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.00.95[min] W. long. (vii) Edisto Offshore Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.15.30[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.13.90[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.50.25[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.51.45[min] W. long. (viii) Hunting Island Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.13.72[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.12.30[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.19.23[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.21.00[min] W. long. (ix) Fripp Island Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.15.92[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.14.75[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.21.62[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.22.90[min] W. long. (x) Betsy Ross Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.03.60[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.02.88[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.24.57[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.25.50[min] W. long. (xi) Hilton Head Reef/Artificial Reef--T is bounded on the north by 32 deg.00.71[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.59.42[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.35.23[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.36.37[min] W. long. (xii) Artificial Reef--A is bounded on the north by 30 deg.57.4[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.55.4[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.13.9[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.16.3[min] W. long. (xiii) Artificial Reef--C is bounded on the north by 30 deg.52.0[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.50.0[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.08.5[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.10.9[min] W. long. (xiv) Artificial Reef--G is bounded on the north by 31 deg.00.0[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.58.0[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.56.8[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.59.2[min] W. long. (xv) Artificial Reef--F is bounded on the north by 31 deg.06.8[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.04.8[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.10.5[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.13.4[min] W. long. (xvi) Artificial Reef--J is bounded on the north by 31 deg.36.7[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.34.7[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.47.3[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.50.1[min] W. long. (xvii) Artificial Reef--L is bounded on the north by 31 deg.46.0[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.44.0[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.34.7[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.37.1[min] W. long. (xviii) Artificial Reef--KC is bounded on the north by 31 deg.51.2[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.49.2[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.45.3[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.47.7[min] W. long. (xix) Ft. Pierce Inshore Reef is bounded on the north by 27 deg.26.8[min] N. lat.; on the south by 27 deg.25.8[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.09.24[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.10.36[min] W. long. (xx) Ft. Pierce Offshore Reef is bounded by rhumb lines connecting, in order, the following points: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point North lat. West long. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A........................................... 27 deg.23.68 80 deg.03.95 [min] [min] B........................................... 27 deg.22.80 80 deg.03.60 [min] [min] C........................................... 27 deg.23.94 80 deg.00.02 [min] [min] D........................................... 27 deg.24.85 80 deg.00.33 [min] [min] A........................................... 27 deg.23.68 80 deg.03.95 [min] [min] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (xxi) Key Biscayne/Artificial Reef--H is bounded on the north by 25 deg.42.82[min] N. lat.; on the south by 25 deg.41.32[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.04.22[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.05.53[min] W. long. (xxii) Little River Offshore Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.42.10[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.41.10[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.26.40[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.27.10[min] W. long. (xxiii) BP-25 Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.21.70[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.20.70[min] N. lat.; on the east by [[Page 180]] 78 deg.24.80[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.25.60[min] W. long. (xxiv) Vermilion Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.57.80[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.57.30[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.39.30[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.40.10[min] W. long. (xxv) Cape Romaine Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.00.00[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.59.50[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.02.01[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.02.62[min] W. long. (xxvi) Y-73 Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.33.20[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.32.70[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.19.10[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.19.70[min] W. long. (xxvii) Eagles Nest Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.01.48[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.00.98[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.30.00[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.30.65[min] W. long. (xxviii) Bill Perry Jr. Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.26.20[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.25.20[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.32.70[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.33.80[min] W. long. (xxix) Comanche Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.27.40[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.26.90[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.18.80[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.19.60[min] W. long. (xxx) Murrel's Inlet 60 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.17.50[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.16.50[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.44.67[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.45.98[min] W. long. (xxxi) Georgetown 95 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.11.75[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.10.75[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.24.10[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.25.63[min] W. long. (xxxii) New Georgetown 60 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.09.25[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.07.75[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.49.95[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.51.45[min] W. long. (xxxiii) North Inlet 45 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.21.03[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.20.03[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.00.31[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.01.51[min] W. long. (xxxiv) CJ Davidson Reef is bounded on the north by 33 deg.06.48[min] N. lat.; on the south by 33 deg.05.48[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.00.27[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.01.39[min] W. long. (xxxv) Greenville Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.57.25[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.56.25[min] N. lat.; on the east by 78 deg.54.25[min] W. long.; and on the west by 78 deg.55.25[min] W. long. (xxxvi) Charleston 60 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.33.60[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.32.60[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.39.70[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.40.90[min] W. long. (xxxvii) Edisto 60 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.21.75[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.20.75[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.04.10[min] W. longitude; and on the west by 80 deg.05.70[min] W. long. (xxxviii) Edisto 40 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.25.78[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.24.78[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.11.24[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.12.32[min] W. long. (xxxix) Beaufort 45 Foot Reef is bounded on the north by 32 deg.07.65[min] N. lat.; on the south by 32 deg.06.65[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.28.80[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.29.80[min] W. long. (xl) Artificial Reef--ALT is bounded on the north by 31 deg.18.6[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.16.6[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.07.0[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.09.4[min] W. long. (xli) Artificial Reef--CAT is bounded on the north by 31 deg.40.2[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.38.2[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.56.2[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.58.6[min] W. long. (xlii) Artificial Reef--CCA is bounded on the north by 31 deg.43.7[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.41.7[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.40.0[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.42.3[min] W. long. (xliii) Artificial Reef--DRH is bounded on the north by 31 deg.18.0[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.16.0[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.56.6[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.59.0[min] W. long. (xliv) Artificial Reef--DUA is bounded on the north by 31 deg.47.8[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.45.8[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.52.1[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.54.5[min] W. long. (xlv) Artificial Reef--DW is bounded on the north by 31 deg.22.8[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.20.3[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.49.8[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.51.1[min] W. long. (xlvi) Artificial Reef--KBY is bounded on the north by 30 deg.48.6[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.46.6[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.15.0[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.17.4[min] W. long. [[Page 181]] (xlvii) Artificial Reef--KTK is bounded on the north by 31 deg.31.3[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.29.3[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.59.1[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.01.5[min] W. long. (xlviii) Artificial Reef--MRY is bounded on the north by 30 deg.47.5[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.45.5[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.05.5[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.07.8[min] W. long. (xlix) Artificial Reef--SAV is bounded on the north by 31 deg.55.4[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.53.4[min] N. lat.; on the east by 80 deg.45.2[min] W. long.; and on the west by 80 deg.47.6[min] W. long. (l) Artificial Reef--SFC is bounded on the north by 31 deg.00.8[min] N. lat.; on the south by 30 deg.59.8[min] N. lat.; on the east by 81 deg.02.2[min] W. long.; and on the west by 81 deg.03.4[min] W. long. (li) Artificial Reef--WW is bounded on the north by 31 deg.43.5[min] N. lat.; on the south by 31 deg.42.2[min] N. lat.; on the east by 79 deg.57.7[min] W. long.; and on the west by 79 deg.59.3[min] W. long. (2) To determine what restrictions apply in the SMZs listed in Sec. 622.35(e)(1), follow this table: ------------------------------------------------------------------------ IN SMZs SPECIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS OF Sec. 622.35 THESE RESTRICTIONS APPLY ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (e)(1)(i) through (x), (e)(1)(xx), and Use of a powerhead to take (e)(1)(xxii) through (xxxix) South Atlantic snapper-grouper is prohibited. Possession of a powerhead and a mutilated South Atlantic snapper-grouper in, or after having fished in, one of these SMZs constitutes prima facie evidence that such fish was taken with a powerhead in the SMZ. (e)(1)(i) through (xviii) and Fishing may only be conducted (e)(1)(xxii) through (li) with handline, rod and reel, and spearfishing gear. (e)(1)(i) through (li) Use of a sea bass pot or bottom longline is prohibited. (e)(1)(xii) through (xviii) and Possession of South Atlantic (e)(1)(xl) through (li) snapper-grouper taken with a powerhead is limited to the bag limits specified in Sec. 622.39(d)(1). (e)(1)(xix) and (e)(1)(xx) A hydraulic or electric reel that is permanently affixed to the vessel is prohibited when fishing for South Atlantic snapper-grouper. (e)(1)(xix) and (e)(1)(xxi) Use of spearfishing gear is prohibited. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (f) Golden crab trap closed areas. In the golden crab northern zone, a golden crab trap may not be deployed in waters less than 900 ft (274 m) deep. In the golden crab middle and southern zones, a golden crab trap may not be deployed in waters less than 700 ft (213 m) deep. See Sec. 622.17(b) for specification of the golden crab zones. [61 FR 34934, July 3, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 43959, Aug. 27, 1996; 61 FR 47449, Sept. 9, 1996; 63 FR 10567, Mar. 4, 1998; 63 FR 57590, Oct. 28, 1998; 63 FR 71794, Dec. 30, 1998; 65 FR 37295, June 14, 2000; 65 FR 61115, Oct. 16, 2000]