[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR229.33]
[Page 622-624]
TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
CHAPTER II--NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND
ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
PART 229_AUTHORIZATION FOR COMMERCIAL FISHERIES UNDER THE MARINE
Subpart C_Take Reduction Plan Regulations and Emergency Regulations
Sec. 229.33 Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan Implementing
Regulations--Gulf of Maine.
(a) Restrictions--(1) Northeast Closure Area. From August 15 through
September 13 of each fishing year, it is prohibited to fish with, set,
haul back, possess on board a vessel unless stowed, or fail to remove
sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies, from
Northeast Closure Area. This prohibition does not apply to a single
pelagic gillnet (as described and used as set forth in Sec.
648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The Northeast Closure Area 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]29.6[min] 68[deg]55.0[min]
NE3 44[deg]04.4[min] 67[deg]48.7[min]
NE4 44[deg]06.9[min] 67[deg]52.8[min]
NE5 44[deg]31.2[min] 67[deg]02.7[min]
NE6 (\1\) 67[deg]02.7[min]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Maine shoreline.
(2) Mid-coast Closure Area. From September 15 through May 31, it is
prohibited to fish with, set, haul back, possess on board a vessel
unless stowed, or fail to remove sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear
capable of catching multispecies. This prohibition does not apply to a
single pelagic gillnet (as described and used as set forth in Sec.
648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The Mid-Coast Closure Area is the area
bounded by straight
[[Page 623]]
lines connecting the following points in the order stated:
Mid-Coast Closure Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point N. Lat. W. Long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
(3) Massachusetts Bay Closure Area. From December 1 through May 31,
it is prohibited to fish with, set, haul back, possess on board a vessel
unless stowed, or fail to remove sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear
capable of catching multispecies from the Massachusetts Bay Closure
Area, except with the use of pingers as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of
this section. This prohibition does not apply to a single pelagic
gillnet (as described in Sec. 648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The
Massachusetts Bay Closure Area is the area bounded by straight lines
connecting the following points in the order stated:
Massachusetts Bay Closure Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point N. Lat. W. Long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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\)
MC7 42[deg]00[min] (\1\)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Massachusetts shoreline.
\2\ Cape Cod shoreline.
(4) Cape Cod South Closure Area. From December 1 through May 31, it
is prohibited to fish with, set, haul back, possess on board a vessel
unless stowed, or fail to remove sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear
capable of catching multispecies from Cape Cod South Closure Area,
except with the use of pingers as provided in paragraph (d)(3) of this
section. This prohibition does not apply to a single pelagic gillnet (as
described in Sec. 648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The Cape Cod South
Closure Area is the area bounded by straight lines connecting the
following points in the order stated:
Cape Cod South Closure Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point N. Lat. W. Long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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\ Rhode Island shoreline.
\2\ Massachusetts shoreline.
(5) Offshore Closure Area. From November 1 through May 31, it is
prohibited to fish with, set, haul back, possess on board a vessel
unless stowed, or fail to remove sink gillnet gear or gillnet gear
capable of catching multispecies from Offshore Closure Area, except for
the use of pingers as provided in Sec. 229.33(d)(4). This prohibition
does not apply to a single pelagic gillnet (as described in Sec.
648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The Offshore Closure Area is the area
bounded by straight lines connecting the following points in the order
stated:
Offshore Closure Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point N. Lat. W. Long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
OFS1 42[deg]50[min] 69[deg]30[min]
OFS2 43[deg]10[min] 69[deg]10[min]
OFS3 43[deg]10[min] 67[deg]40[min]
OFS4 42[deg]10[min] 67[deg]40[min]
OFS5 42[deg]10[min] 69[deg]30[min]
OFS6 42[deg]50[min] 69[deg]30[min]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6) Cashes Ledge Closure Area. For the month of February of each
fishing year, it is prohibited to fish with, set, haul back, possess on
board a vessel unless stowed, or fail to remove sink gillnet gear or
gillnet gear capable of catching multispecies from the Cashes Ledge
Closure Area. This prohibition does not apply to a single pelagic
gillnet (as described in Sec. 648.81(f)(2)(ii) of this title). The
Cashes Ledge Closure Area is the area bounded by straight lines
connecting the following points in the order stated:
Cashes Ledge Closure Area
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point N. Lat. W. Long.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
CL1 42[deg]30[min] 69[deg]00[min]
CL2 42[deg]30[min] 68[deg]30[min]
CL3 43[deg]00[min] 68[deg]30[min]
CL4 43[deg]00[min] 69[deg]00[min]
CL5 42[deg]30[min] 69[deg]00[min]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(b) Pingers--(1) Pinger specifications. For the purposes of this
subpart, a pinger is an acoustic deterrent device
[[Page 624]]
which, when immersed in water, broadcasts a 10 kHz (2 kHz) sound at 132 dB (4 dB) re 1
micropascal at 1 m, lasting 300 milliseconds (15
milliseconds), and repeating every 4 seconds (.2
seconds).
(2) Pinger attachment. An operating and functional pinger must be
attached at the end of each string of the gillnets and at the bridle of
every net within a string of nets.
(c) Pinger training and certification. Beginning on January 1, 1999,
the operator of a vessel may not fish with, set or haul back sink
gillnets or gillnet gear, or allow such gear to be in closed areas where
pingers are required as specified under paragraph (b) of this section,
unless the operator has satisfactorily completed the pinger
certification training program and possesses on board the vessel a valid
pinger training certificate issued by NMFS. Notice will be given
announcing the times and locations of pinger certification training
programs.
(d) Use of pingers in closed areas--(1) Vessels, subject to the
restrictions and regulations specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this
section, may fish in the Mid-coast Closure Area from September 15
through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are used in
accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (b) (1) and (2) of this
section.
(2) Vessels, subject to the restrictions and regulations specified
in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, may fish in the Massachusetts Bay
Closure Area from December 1 through the last day of February and from
April 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are
used in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (b) (1) and (2)
of this section.
(3) Vessels, subject to the restrictions and regulations specified
in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, may fish in the Cape Cod South
Closure Area from December 1 through the last day of February and from
April 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, provided that pingers are
used in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (b) (1) and (2)
of this section.
(4) Vessels, subject to the restrictions and regulations specified
in paragraph (a)(5) of this section, may fish in the Offshore Closure
Area from November 1 through May 31 of each fishing year, with the
exception of the Cashes Ledge Closure Area. From February 1 through the
end of February, the area within the Offshore Closure Area defined as
``Cashes Ledge'' is closed to all fishing with sink gillnets. Vessels
subject to the restrictions and regulation specified in paragraph (a)(5)
of this section may fish in the Offshore Closure Area outside the Cashes
Ledge Area from February 1 through the end of February provided that
pingers are used in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs (b)
(1) and (2) of this section.
(e) Other special measures. The Assistant Administrator may revise
the requirements of this section through notification published in the
Federal Register if:
(1) After plan implementation, NMFS determines that pinger operating
effectiveness in the commercial fishery is inadequate to reduce bycatch
to the PBR level with the current plan.
(2) NMFS determines that the boundary or timing of a closed area is
inappropriate, or that gear modifications (including pingers) are not
reducing bycatch to below the PBR level.
[63 FR 66487, Dec. 2, 1998; 63 FR 71042, Dec. 23, 1998]