Troll gear
(iv) Troll gear means a lure or jig towed behind a vessel via a fishing line. Troll gear is used in commercial and recreational fisheries. (7) Mesh size means the opening between opposing knots, or opposing corners for knotless webbing. Minimum mesh size means the smallest distance allowed between the inside of one knot or corner to the inside of the opposing knot or corner, regardless of twine size. (8) Non-trawl gear means all legal commercial groundfish gear other than trawl gear. (9) Spear means a sharp, pointed, or barbed instrument on a shaft. (10) Trap or pot See 600.10 of this chapter, definition of trap. These terms are used as interchangeable synonyms. (11) Trawl gear means a cone or funnel-shaped net that is towed through the water, and can include a pair trawl that towed simultaneously by two boats. For the purpose of this definition, trawl gear includes groundfish and non-groundfish trawl. See definitions for groundfish trawl and non-groundfish trawls (previously called exempted trawl). (i) Bottom trawl means a trawl in which the otter boards or the footrope of the net are in contact with the seabed. It includes demersal seine gear, and pair trawls fished on the bottom. Any trawl not meeting the requirements for a midwater trawl in 660.130(b), subpart D is a bottom trawl. (A) Beam trawl gear means a type of trawl gear in which a beam is used to hold the trawl open during fishing. Otter boards or doors are not used. (B) Large footrope trawl gear means a bottom trawl gear with a footrope diameter larger than 8 inches (20 cm,) and no larger than 19 inches (48 cm) including any rollers, bobbins, or other material encircling or tied along the length of the footrope. (C) Small footrope trawl gear means a bottom trawl gear with a footrope diameter of 8 inches (20 cm) or smaller, including any rollers, bobbins, or other material encircling or tied along the length of the footrope. Selective flatfish trawl gear that meets the gear component requirements in 660.130(b), subpart D is a type of small footrope trawl gear. (ii) Midwater (pelagic or off-bottom) trawl means a trawl in which the otter boards and footrope of the net remain above the seabed. It includes pair trawls if fished in midwater. A midwater trawl has no rollers or bobbins on any part of the net or its component wires, ropes, and chains. For additional midwater trawl gear requirements and restrictions, see 660.130(b), subpart D. (iii) Trawl gear components include: (A) Breastline means a rope or cable that connects the end of the headrope and the end of the trawl fishing line along the edge of the trawl web closest to the towing point. (B) Chafing gear means webbing or other material that is attached to the trawl net to protect the net from wear and abrasions either when fishing or hauling on deck. (C) Codend. (See 600.10 of this chapter) (D) Double-bar mesh means webbing comprised of two lengths of twine tied into a single knot. (E) Double-walled codend means a codend constructed of two walls (layers) of webbing. (F) Footrope means a chain, rope, or wire attached to the bottom front end of the trawl webbing forming the leading edge of the bottom panel of the trawl net, and attached to the fishing line. (G) Headrope means a chain, rope, or wire attached to the trawl webbing forming the leading edge of the top panel of the trawl net. (H) Rollers or bobbins means devices made of wood, steel, rubber, plastic, or other hard material that encircle the trawl footrope. These devices are commonly used to either bounce or pivot over seabed obstructions, in order to prevent the trawl footrope and net from snagging on the seabed. (I) Single-walled codend means a codend constructed of a single wall of webbing knitted with single or double-bar mesh. (J) Trawl fishing line means a length of chain, rope, or wire rope in the bottom front end of a trawl net to which the webbing or lead ropes are attached. (K) Trawl riblines means a heavy rope or line that runs down the sides, top, or underside of a trawl net from the mouth of the net to the terminal end of the codend to strengthen the net during fishing. (12) Non-bottom contact gear means fishing gear designed or modified to not make contact with the bottom. This includes, but is not limited to, commercial vertical hook-and-line gear not anchored to the bottom (e.g., vertical jig gear or rod-and-reel gear with weights suspended off the bottom) and troll gear.