Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-2-4-.08 - Bycatch Reduction Specifications. Requirement for use of Bycatch Reduction Devices

(1) Purpose. The purpose of these Rules is to implement the authority of the Board of Natural Resources to promulgate rules and regulations to regulate the times, methods, ways, means, and devices of taking wildlife which are necessary to conserve living marine resources.

(2) Definitions used in this rule.

(a) "Centerline" means the seam that runs along the top center of the trawl net. In the absence of a seam, the centerline runs from the center point of the length of the head rope to the furthest distance on top of the cod end of the trawl.

(b) "Certified bycatch reduction device" or "BRD" means a device specified in subsection 3(a)(i, ii, and iii) or a device certified by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

(c) "Cod end" means the end of a trawl net which acts as the receptacle for fish and other organisms caught in the net. It is closed and secured, at the extreme end, with a line.

(d) "Functional tailbag length" means that portion of the cod end forward of the tail rope tie off rings toward the mouth of the trawl net.

(e) "Headrope" means a rope that is attached to the upper lip (top edge) of the mouth of a trawl net along the forwardmost edge.

(f) "Headrope length" means the straight line length of that portion of the top rope of a trawl net from which the net is hung measured between the outermost hanging points.

(g) "Try net" means a net pulled for brief periods of time just before, or during, deployment of the primary net(s) in order to test for shrimp concentrations or determine fishing conditions (e.g. presence or absence of bottom debris, jellyfish, bycatch, seagrass, etc.).

(3) Vessels Required to use Bycatch Reduction Devices.

(a) Effective June 1, 1996 all shrimp trawlers which trawl for shrimp for human consumption in Georgia saltwaters as permitted by O.C.G.A. 27-4-133 must have a certified bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed in each net, other than an exempt shrimp trawl or try net, at all times of the year. Effective July 1, 1997, all shrimp trawlers must have a certified BRD installed in trawl nets and trynets with a headrope length of greater than sixteen feet. A BRD shall be deemed to be certified if it is one of the types specified herein or is certified by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

1. Fish Eye BRD - This device shall consist of at least one rigid exit opening frame sewn into each trawl net. This frame is to be constructed of no more than four bars creating an apex to orient the exit opening. Each frame shall have an exit opening in the shape of an oval and a minimum of nine inches in length and a minimum of four and one half inches across the opening in the shortest dimension, creating an unobstructed opening with a surface area equal to or greater than twenty square inches facing the direction of the mouth of the trawl net. Each frame shall be installed in the cod end of the trawl net no further forward than seventy two percent of the functional tailbag length from the tail rope tie off rings. The frame shall be installed along the centerline on the top side of the cod end of the trawl net.

2. Eight-Inch Expanded Mesh/Extended Funnel BRD - This device consists of a funnel of small mesh netting within a cylinder of large mesh netting, held open by at least one semi-rigid hoop, and is installed in the trawl net behind a certified Turtle Excluder Device as defined in Rule 391-2-4-.05. One side of the funnel is extended vertically to provide passage for shrimp to the cod end and to create an area of reduced water flow to allow for fish escapement through the larger mesh outer netting. This BRD shall meet the following specifications:

(i) The small mesh funnel and large mesh section shall be positioned within extension sections constructed of no smaller than one and five eighths inch stretched-mesh nylon netting, no less than one hundred twenty meshes in circumference. The extension section in front of the large mesh section shall be no less than six and one half meshes long, and the extension section behind the large mesh section shall be no shorter than twenty three meshes in length.

(ii) The small mesh funnel shall be constructed of no less than one and one half inch stretched-mesh netting. This component shall have a circumference of no less than one hundred twenty meshes at the leading edge and no more than one hundred four meshes at the trailing edge. The short side of the funnel shall be at least thirty-six inches long, while approximately half of the opposite side of the funnel shall extend at least twenty-two inches further toward the trailing edge of the funnel. The leading edge of the funnel shall be attached no less than three meshes forward of the leading edge of the large mesh. At least seven meshes of the short side of the funnel shall be attached to the back section of extension webbing on the top and bottom at least eight meshes back from the trailing edge of the large mesh section.

(iii) The larger mesh outer section shall consist of no smaller than eight-inch stretched-mesh netting and shall be hung on the square. This section shall have a circumference no smaller than nineteen meshes and a length of at least four meshes.

(iv) The leading edge of the large mesh section shall be attached to the trailing edge of the front extension section. One semi-rigid hoop constructed of plastic-coated trawl cable with a minimum diameter of thirty inches shall be installed at least five meshes behind the trailing edge of the large mesh section. If a second hoop is used, it shall be installed in the front extension section at least three meshes ahead of the large mesh section.

3. Ten-Inch Expanded Mesh/Extended Funnel BRD - This device consists of a funnel of small mesh netting within a cylinder of large mesh netting, held open by at least one semi-rigid hoop, and is installed in the trawl net behind a certified Turtle Excluder Device as defined in Rule 391-2-4-.05. One side of the funnel is extended vertically to provide passage for shrimp to the cod end and to create an area of reduced water flow to allow for fish escapement through the larger mesh outer netting. This BRD shall meet the following specifications:

(i) The small mesh funnel and large mesh section shall be positioned within extension sections constructed of no smaller than one and three eighths inch stretched-mesh nylon netting, no less than one hundred twenty meshes in circumference. The extension section in front of the large mesh section shall be no less than three meshes long, and the extension section behind the large mesh section shall be no shorter than eighteen and one half meshes in length.

(ii) The small mesh funnel shall be constructed of no less than one and one half inch stretched-mesh netting. This component shall have a circumference of no less than eighty meshes at the leading edge and no less than eighty meshes at the trailing edge. The short side of the funnel shall be at least twenty-seven inches long, while approximately half of the opposite side of the funnel shall extend at least fifteen inches further toward the trailing edge of the funnel. The leading edge of the funnel shall be attached no less than one half mesh forward of the leading edge of the large mesh. The short side of the funnel shall be attached to the back section of extension webbing on the top and bottom at least two meshes back from the trailing edge of the large mesh section.

(iii) The larger mesh outer section shall consist of no smaller than ten inch stretched-mesh netting and shall be hung on the square. This section shall have a circumference no smaller than nineteen meshes and a length of at least three meshes.

(iv) The leading edge of the large mesh section shall be attached to the trailing edge of the front extension section. One semi-rigid hoop constructed of plastic-coated trawl cable with a minimum diameter of thirty inches shall be installed at least one and a half meshes behind the trailing edge of the large mesh section. If a second hoop is used, it shall be installed in the front extension section at least three meshes ahead of the large mesh section.

4. Diamond Fish Eye BRD - This device shall consist of at least one rigid exit opening frame sewn into each trawl net. This frame is to be constructed of no more than four bars creating an apex to orient the exit opening. Each frame shall have an exit opening in the shape of a diamond and a minimum of six and one half inches in length and a minimum of five and one half inches across the opening in the shortest dimension, creating an unobstructed opening with a surface area equal to or greater than nineteen square inches facing the direction of the mouth of the trawl net no further forward than seventy two percent of the functional tailbag length from the tail rope tie off rings. The center of the exit opening of the frame shall be installed no more than nineteen meshes offset from either side of the centerline on the top side of the cod end of the trawl net.

(b) Bycatch reduction devices are required in try nets having a headrope length of greater than sixteen feet used for purposes of food shrimping pursuant to O.C.G.A. 27-4-133.

(c) A BRD shall be used in conjunction with a certified Turtle Excluder Device when such a device is required pursuant to 50 C.F.R. Section 227.72(e)(4) (i, ii, and iii) and Section 227.72(e)(2)(ii)(A)(1).

(4) Exemptions.

(a) A trawl net being used as part of a public or private experimentation authorized by the Department of Natural Resources, as provided in O.C.G.A. 27-2-12, is exempt from the BRD requirement provided written authorization shall be maintained aboard the shrimp trawler with such a trawl at all times.

(b) Reserved.

(c) Reserved.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-2-4-.08

Title 12; O.C.G.A. Sec. 27-1-4.

Original Rule entitled "Bycatch Reduction Specifications. Requirement for Use of Bycatch Reduction Devices" adopted. F. Jan. 25, 1996, eff. Feb. 14, 1996. Amended: F. Jun. 2, 1997; eff. Jun. 22, 1997. Amended: F. Dec. 3, 1997; eff. Dec. 23, 1997.