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Longline Closure
50 CFR: Wildlife and Fisheries - PART 622 FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC
§622.34 - Gulf EEZ seasonal and/or area closures.
(q) Prohibitions applicable to bottom longline fi shing for Gulf reef fi sh.
(1) From June through August each year, bottom longlining for Gulf reef fi sh is prohibited in the portion of the
Gulf EEZ east of 85°30’ W. longitude
(2) Within the prohibited area and time period specifi ed in paragraph (q)(1) of this section, a vessel with bottom
longline gear on board may not possess Gulf reef fi sh unless the bottom longline gear is appropriately stowed,
and a vessel that is using bottom longline gear to fi sh for species other than Gulf reef fi sh may not possess Gulf
reef fi sh. For the purposes of paragraph (q) of this section, appropriately stowed means that a longline may be
left on the drum if all gangions and hooks are disconnected and stowed below deck; hooks cannot be baited;
and all buoys must be disconnected from the gear but may remain on deck.
(3) Within the Gulf EEZ east of 85°30’ W. longitude, a vessel for which a valid eastern Gulf reef fi sh bottom longline
endorsement has been issued that is fi shing bottom longline gear or has bottom longline gear on board cannot
possess more than a total of 1000 hooks including hooks on board the vessel and hooks being fi shed and cannot
possess more than 750 hooks rigged for fi shing at any given time. For the purpose of this paragraph, “hooks
rigged for fi shing” means hooks attached to a line or other device capable of attaching to the mainline of the
longline.
(c) Reef fi sh longline and buoy gear restricted area. A person aboard a vessel that uses, on any trip, longline or
buoy gear in the longline and buoy gear restricted area is limited on that trip to the bag limits for Gulf reef fi sh
specifi ed in §622.38(b) and, for Gulf reef fi sh for which no bag limit is specifi ed in §622.38(b), the vessel is limited
to 5 percent, by weight, of all fi sh on board or landed.
NOTE: A bottom longline endorsement is required to fi sh for reef fi sh east of Cape San Blas, Florida. The use of longlines
and buoy gear for reef fi sh is prohibited inside of 50 fathoms west of Cape San Blas, Florida. East of Cape San Blas,
the use of longlines and buoy gear for reef fi sh is prohibited inside of 20 fathoms year round and 35 fathoms during
June - August (see next page). Vessels fi shing within this zone and posessing longlines or buoy gear may not exceed the
recreational bag limits, and for reef fi sh without a bag limit, 5% by weight of all fi sh aboard.
370
Longline Closure
50 CFR: Wildlife and Fisheries - PART 622 FISHERIES OF THE CARIBBEAN, GULF OF MEXICO, AND SOUTH ATLANTIC
§622.34 - Gulf EEZ seasonal and/or area closures.
(q) Prohibitions applicable to bottom longline fi shing for Gulf reef fi sh.
(1) From June through August each year, bottom longlining for Gulf reef fi sh is prohibited in the portion of the
Gulf EEZ east of 85°30’ W. longitude
(2) Within the prohibited area and time period specifi ed in paragraph (q)(1) of this section, a vessel with bottom
longline gear on board may not possess Gulf reef fi sh unless the bottom longline gear is appropriately stowed,
and a vessel that is using bottom longline gear to fi sh for species other than Gulf reef fi sh may not possess Gulf
reef fi sh. For the purposes of paragraph (q) of this section, appropriately stowed means that a longline may be
left on the drum if all gangions and hooks are disconnected and stowed below deck; hooks cannot be baited;
and all buoys must be disconnected from the gear but may remain on deck.
(3) Within the Gulf EEZ east of 85°30’ W. longitude, a vessel for which a valid eastern Gulf reef fi sh bottom longline
endorsement has been issued that is fi shing bottom longline gear or has bottom longline gear on board cannot
possess more than a total of 1000 hooks including hooks on board the vessel and hooks being fi shed and cannot
possess more than 750 hooks rigged for fi shing at any given time. For the purpose of this paragraph, “hooks
rigged for fi shing” means hooks attached to a line or other device capable of attaching to the mainline of the
longline.
(c) Reef fi sh longline and buoy gear restricted area. A person aboard a vessel that uses, on any trip, longline or
buoy gear in the longline and buoy gear restricted area is limited on that trip to the bag limits for Gulf reef fi sh
specifi ed in §622.38(b) and, for Gulf reef fi sh for which no bag limit is specifi ed in §622.38(b), the vessel is limited
to 5 percent, by weight, of all fi sh on board or landed.
NOTE: A bottom longline endorsement is required to fi sh for reef fi sh east of Cape San Blas, Florida. The use of longlines
and buoy gear for reef fi sh is prohibited inside of 50 fathoms west of Cape San Blas, Florida. East of Cape San Blas,
the use of longlines and buoy gear for reef fi sh is prohibited inside of 20 fathoms year round and 35 fathoms during
June - August (see next page). Vessels fi shing within this zone and posessing longlines or buoy gear may not exceed the
recreational bag limits, and for reef fi sh without a bag limit, 5% by weight of all fi sh aboard.
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