[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: 50CFR648.87] [Page 403-405] TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PART 648--FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES--Table of Contents Subpart F--Management Measures for the NE Multispecies and Monkfish Fisheries Sec. 648.87 Gillnet requirements to reduce or prevent marine mammal takes. (a) Areas closed to gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies to reduce harbor porpoise takes. All persons owning or operating vessels in the EEZ portion of the areas and times specified in paragraphs (a)(1), through (a)(4) of this section must remove all of their sink gillnet gear and other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)), and may not use, set, haul back, fish with, or possess on board, unless stowed in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 648.23(b), sink gillnet gear or other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnet gear (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)) in the EEZ portion of the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section. Also, all persons owning or operating vessels issued a limited access multispecies permit must remove all of their sink gillnet gear and other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)), from the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section, and may not use, set, haul back, fish with, or possess on board, unless stowed in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 648.23(b), sink gillnets or other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)) in the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(4) of this section. (1) Mid-coast Closure Area. (i) From September 15 through May 31 of each fishing year, the restrictions and requirements specified in paragraph (a) of this section apply to the Mid-coast Closure Area (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), except as provided in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated. Mid-Coast Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. latitude W. longitude ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MC1............................. 42 deg.30[min] (\1\) MC2............................. 42 deg.30[min] 70 deg.15[min] MC3............................. 42 deg.40[min] 70 deg.15[min] MC4............................. 42 deg.40[min] 70 deg.00[min] MC5............................. 43 deg.00[min] 70 deg.00[min] MC6............................. 43 deg.00[min] 69 deg.30[min] MC7............................. 43 deg.30[min] 69 deg.30[min] MC8............................. 43 deg.30[min] 69 deg.00[min] MC9............................. (\2\) 69 deg.00[min] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ Massachusetts shoreline. \2\ Maine shoreline. (ii) Vessels subject to the restrictions and regulations specified in paragraph (a) of this section may fish in the Mid-coast Closure Area, as defined under paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section, from September 15 through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are used in accordance with the requirements found at Sec. 229.33(b) of this title. (2) Cape Cod South Closure Area. (i) From December 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, the restrictions and requirements specified in paragraph (a) of this section apply to the Cape Cod South Closure Area (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), except as provided in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section, which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated. Cape Cod South Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. latitude W. longitude ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CCS1............................ (\1\) 71 deg.45[min] CCS2............................ 40 deg.40[min] 71 deg.45[min] CCS3............................ 40 deg.40[min] 70 deg.30[min] CCS4............................ (\2\) 70 deg.30[min] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ RI Shoreline. \2\ MA Shoreline. [[Page 404]] (ii) Vessels subject to the restrictions and regulations specified in paragraph (a) of this section may fish in the Cape Cod South Closure Area, as defined under paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section, from December 1 through the last day of February and April 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are used in accordance with the requirements found at Sec. 229.33(b) of this title. (3) Massachusetts Bay Closure Area. (i) From December 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, the restrictions and requirements specified in paragraph (a) of this section apply to the Massachusetts Bay Closure Area (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), except as provided in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated. Massachusetts Bay Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. latitude W. longitude ------------------------------------------------------------------------ MB1............................. 42 deg.30[min] (\1\) MB2............................. 42 deg.30[min] 70 deg.30[min] MB3............................. 42 deg.12[min] 70 deg.30[min] MB4............................. 42 deg.12[min] 70 deg.00[min] MB5............................. (\2\) 70 deg.00[min] MB6............................. 42 deg.00[min] (\2\) MB7............................. 42 deg.00[min] (\1\) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ Massachusetts shoreline. \2\ Cape Cod shoreline. (ii) Vessels subject to the restrictions and regulations specified in paragraph (a) of this section may fish in the Massachusetts Bay Closure Area, as defined under paragraph (a)(3)(i) of this section, from December 1 through the last day of February and April 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are used in accordance with the requirements found at Sec. 229.33(b) of this title. (4) NE Closure Area. From August 15 through September 13, of each fishing year, the restrictions and requirements specified in this paragraph (a) apply to the NE Closure Area, which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated: Northeast Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. lat. W. long. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ NE1............................................... (\1\) 68 deg.55 .0[min] NE2............................................... 43 deg.29 68 deg.55 .6[min] .0[min] NE3............................................... 44 deg.04 67 deg.48 .4[min] .7[min] NE4............................................... 44 deg.06 67 deg.52 .9[min] .8[min] NE5............................................... 44 deg.31 67 deg.02 .2[min] .7[min] NE6............................................... (\1\) 67 deg.02 .7[min] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ \1\ Maine shoreline. (i) Copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request. (ii) [Reserved] (b) Areas closed to gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies to prevent right whale takes. All persons owning or operating vessels must remove all of their sink gillnet gear and gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)), from the EEZ portion of the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, and may not use, set, haul back, fish with, or possess on board, unless stowed in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 648.23(b), sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnet gear (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)) in the EEZ portion of the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section. Also, all persons owning or operating vessels issued a limited access multispecies permit must remove all of their sink gillnet gear and other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)), from the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section, and, may not use, set, haul back, fish with, or possess on board, unless stowed in accordance with the requirements of Sec. 648.23(b), sink gillnet gear or other gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, with the exception of single pelagic gillnets (as described in Sec. 648.81(g)(2)(ii)) in the areas and for the times specified in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section. (1) Cape Cod Bay Critical Habitat Closure Area. From March 27, 1997 through May 15, 1997 and from January 1 through May 15 of each subsequent year, the restrictions and requirements [[Page 405]] specified in paragraph (b) of this section apply to the Cape Cod Bay Critical Habitat Closure Area (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated. Cape Cod Bay Critical Habitat Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. latitude W. longitude ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CCB1............................. 42 deg.12[min] N 70 deg.30[min] W CCB2............................. 42 deg.12[min] N 70 deg.15[min] W CCB3............................. 42 deg.08[min] N 70 deg.12.4[min] W hen westerly along the 3 NM state boundary to. CCB4............................. 42 deg.08[min] N 70 deg.30[min] W hen due north to CCB1............ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (2) Great South Channel Critical Habitat Closure Area. From April 1 through June 30 of each year, the restrictions and requirements specified in paragraph (b) of this section apply to the Great South Channel Critical Habitat Closure Area (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), which is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated. Great South Channel Critical Habitat Closure Area ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Point N. latitude W. longitude ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GSC1........................... 41 deg.02.2[min] N 69 deg.02[min] W GSC2........................... 41 deg.43.5[min] N 69 deg.36.3[min] W GSC3........................... 42 deg.10[min] N 68 deg.31[min] W GSC4........................... 41 deg.38[min] N 68 deg.13[min] W ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (c) Framework adjustment. (1) The Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team will provide the NEFMC with the best available information on the status of Gulf of Maine harbor porpoise, including estimates of abundance and estimates of bycatch in the sink gillnet fishery. (2) After receiving and reviewing the Harbor Porpoise Take Review Team's findings and recommendations, the NEFMC shall determine whether adjustments or additional management measures are necessary to avoid inconsistencies with the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan. If the NEFMC determines that adjustments or additional management measures are necessary, it shall develop and analyze appropriate management actions over the span of at least two NEFMC meetings. (3) The NEFMC shall provide the public with advance notice of the availability of the proposals, appropriate rationale, economic and biological analyses, and opportunity to comment on them prior to and at the second NEFMC meeting. The NEFMC's recommendation on adjustments or additions to management measures must come from one or more of the categories specified under Sec. 648.90(b)(1). (4) If the NEFMC recommends that the management measures should be issued as a final rule, the NEFMC must consider at least the factors specified in Sec. 648.90(b)(2). (5) The Regional Administrator may accept, reject, or with NEFMC approval, modify the NEFMC's recommendation, including the NEFMC's recommendation to issue a final rule, as specified under Sec. 648.90(b)(3). [61 FR 34968, July 3, 1996, as amended at 61 FR 47828, Sept. 11, 1996; 62 FR 52274, Oct. 7, 1997; 62 FR 52274, Oct. 7, 1997; 63 FR 15333, Mar. 31, 1998; 63 FR 19850, Apr. 22, 1998; 64 FR 15706, Apr. 1, 1999; 64 FR 24077, May 5, 1999; 65 FR 37916, June 19, 2000]