A. The
following trap/pot fishing gear restrictions shall apply:
1.
Universal requirements in coastal
waters
All persons who fish lobster gear and trap/pot fisheries
(including but not limited to all crab species, hagfish, finfish, whelk, and
shrimp) within Maine's coastal waters shall comply with the following federal
universal requirements for the ALWTRP:
(a) No floating line at the surface;
and
(b) No wet storage of gear over
30 days.
2.
Waters
to the Exemption Line
1. All persons
who fish lobster gear or other trap/pot gear in Maine's coastal waters from the
head of tide to the Exemption Line shall comply with one of the following
ALWTRP options:
(a)
Option 1: All
buoys must be attached to the buoy line with a weak link having a breaking
strength no greater than 600 pounds (272.4 kg). Weak links may include swivels,
plastic weak links, rope of the appropriate breaking strength, hog rings, rope
stapled to a buoy stick, or devices approved in writing by the NOAA Fisheries
Assistant Administrator (See contact information in 75.01 (A)(3)). In addition,
the weak link must be designed so that the bitter end of the buoy line is clean
and free of knots when the weak link breaks; or
(b)
Option 2: All buoy lines
must be made entirely of sinking line; or
(c)
Option 3: All ground lines
must be made entirely of sinking line.
2. All buoy lines must be marked with three
(3) purple marks: one at the top of the buoy line, one midway along the buoy
line, and one at the bottom of the buoy line. The mark at the top of the buoy
line must be 36 inches and must be in the top two fathom of buoy line. The
middle and bottom marks must be 12 inches. Each color code must be permanently
affixed on or along the line and the color code must be clearly visible when
the gear is hauled or removed from the water.
Exception: Vertical lines less than 100 ft. in
length may be marked with only two (2) purple marks: one at the top of the buoy
line and one at the bottom of the buoy line. The mark at the top of the buoy
line must be 36 inches and must be in the top two fathom of the buoy line. The
bottom mark must be 12 inches. Each color code must be permanently affixed on
or along the line and the color code must be clearly visible when the gear is
hauled or removed from the water.
3. It is unlawful to fish lobster gear within
Maine's coastal waters inside the Exemption Line which has a buoy line marked
with a green mark.
4. All buoy
lines must have a 1700-pound weak insertion 50% of the way down the vertical
line or approved 1700-pound breaking strength line in the top 50% of the
vertical line. A manufactured weak link or weak rope may be attached in
whatever manner a fisherman selects. A list of NOAA approved manufactured
1700-pound weak rope and 1700-pound weak insertions can be found at this
website:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/marine-mammal-protection/approved-weak-inserts-and-line-atlantic-large.
In addition, a weak insertion can include:
i.
A buoy line comprised of 5/16th rope which includes
an in-line overhand knot 50% of the way down the vertical line
ii. A buoy line comprised of
5/16th rope in the top 50% of the vertical line and
is connected to the bottom 50% of the vertical line with a fisherman's knot or
sheet bend knot
iii. A 3-foot
section of 5/16th rope which is incorporated into
the vertical line 50% of the way down, and is connected with a fisherman's knot
or sheet bend knot
3.
Sliver Area
All persons who fish lobster gear or other trap/pot fisheries
in the Maine Sliver Area, shall comply with each the following ALWTRP
requirements:
(a) All buoys,
floatation and/or weighted devices may be attached to the buoy line with a weak
link having a breaking strength no greater than 600 pounds (272.4 kg). Weak
links may include swivels, plastic weak links, rope of the appropriate breaking
strength, hog rings, rope stapled to a buoy stick, or devices approved in
writing by the NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator (See contact information
in Chapter 75.01(A) (3)). In addition, the weak link must be designed so that
the bitter end of the buoy line is clean and free of knots when the weak link
breaks plus each weak link must be installed as close to the buoys, floatation
and/or weighted device as possible.
(b) All buoy lines must be marked with three
(3) purple marks, one at the top of the buoy line, one midway along the buoy
line, and one at the bottom of the buoy line. The mark at the top of buoy line
must be 36 inches long and must be in the top two fathom of buoy line. The
middle and bottom marks must be 12 inches in length. Each color code must be
permanently affixed on or along the line and the color code must be clearly
visible when the gear is hauled or removed from the water.
(c) It is unlawful to fish lobster gear
within the Sliver Area which has a buoy line marked with a green
mark.
(e) Multiple traps only - no single traps
allowed. See section
5 below for minimum number of traps per
trawl; except as identified for Zones C, D, and E in section
5 below. Trawls with less than or equal
to 5 traps may only
possess 1 buoy line.
(f) The
attachment of buoys, toggles or other floatation devices is prohibited on
ground lines.
(g) Ground lines. All
ground lines must be composed entirely of sinking line.
(h) Sink rope means, for both ground lines
and buoy lines, line that has a specific gravity greater than or equal to
1.030, and, for ground lines only, does not float at any point in the water
column.
(i) Fishermen are
encouraged, but not required, to maintain knot-free buoy lines.
4.
Federal waters
All persons who fish lobster gear or other trap/pot gear in
Maine's coastal waters southerly of the Three Mile Limit, or as shown on NOAA,
National Ocean Survey nautical charts, and within Area 1, must comply with each
of the following ALWTRP requirements:
(a) All buoys, floatation and/or weighted
devices may be attached to the buoy line with a weak link having a breaking
strength no greater than 600 pounds (272.4 kg). Weak links may include swivels,
plastic weak links, rope of the appropriate breaking strength, hog rings, rope
stapled to a buoy stick, or devices approved in writing by the NOAA Fisheries
Assistant Administrator (See contact information in Chapter 75.01(A) (3)). In
addition, the weak link must be designed so that the bitter end of the buoy
line is clean and free of knots when the weak link breaks plus each weak link
must be installed as close to the buoys, floatation and/or weighted device as
possible.
(b) All buoy lines must
be marked with four (4) purple marks. There must be three 12-inch marks, one at
the top of the buoy line, one midway along the buoy line, and one at the bottom
of the buoy line. In addition, each buoy line must be marked with a 36-inch
purple mark in the top two fathom of buoy line. Each color code must be
permanently affixed on or along the line and the color code must be clearly
visible when the gear is hauled or removed from the water.
(c) All buoy lines must be marked with four
(4) 12 inch green marks. Each green mark must be placed adjacent to, and within
6 inches, of the four purple marks along the buoy line.
(d) All buoy lines must have 1700-pound weak
insertion(s) or approved 1700-pound breaking strength line at the location and
frequency specified by Zone and distance from shore below. A list of NOAA
approved manufactured 1700-pound weak rope and 1700-pound weak insertions can
be found at this website:
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/new-england-mid-atlantic/marine-mammal-protection/approved-weak-inserts-and-line-atlantic-large.
The 1700-pound weak link insert requirements by location are
as follows;
ME Zone A West*, B, C, D, E; Federal Waters 3-12 nm: 2
weak inserts at 25% and 50% down the line OR top 50% of buoy line weak
rope
ME Zone A East*, F, and G; Federal Waters 3-12 nm: 1
weak insert 33% down the line
Beyond 12 nm: 1 weak insert 33% down the
line
* Zone A East and Zone A West are defined in Chapter 75.01
(A) (10 and 11).
(e)
Multiple traps only - no single traps allowed; See section 5 below for minimum
number of traps per trawl; trawls of 5 or fewer traps must have only one buoy
line.
(f) The attachment of buoys,
toggles or other floatation devices is prohibited on ground lines.
(g) Ground lines. All ground lines must be
composed entirely of sinking line.
(h) Sink rope means, for both ground lines
and buoy lines, line that has a specific gravity greater than or equal to
1.030, and, for ground lines only, does not float at any point in the water
column.
(i) Fishermen are
encouraged, but not required, to maintain knot-free buoy lines.
5.
Minimum Number of Traps
per Trawl
In Maine, trap trawl requirements are based on the
enforcement lines defined in Chapter 75.01 and the Maine lobster management
zones defined in Chapter 25.94. Pocket waters* will follow the trawl minimums
in their respective zones between the exemption line and the 3-mile line. State
water trawl maximums can be found in Chapter 25.04. See each individual
management area for details on the traps per trawl requirements:
|
ZONE
|
EXEMPTION LINE TO
3NM
|
3 TO 6*
NM
|
6* TO 12
NM
|
BEYOND 12 NM
|
|
Zone A East*
|
3 for 1 line
|
10 for 1 line 20 for 2 lines
|
10 for 1 line 20 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone A West*
|
3 for 1 line
|
4 for 1 line 8 for 2 lines
|
8 for 1 line 15 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone B
|
3 for 1 line
|
5 for 1 line
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone C
|
2 for 1 line 4 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
10 for 1 line 20 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone D
|
2 for 1 line 4 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone E
|
2 for 1 line 4 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone F
|
3 for 1 line
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
|
Zone G
|
3 for 1 line
|
5 for 1 line 10 for 2 lines
|
10 for 1 line 20 for 2 lines
|
25 for 2 lines
|
* The Six-Mile Line and Pocket Waters are defined in Chapter
75.01(A) (6 and 7). The three-mile and 12-mile lines are also established in
Chapter 75.01(A) (8 and 9).
* Zone A East and Zone A West are defined in Chapter 75.01
(A) (10 and 11).
Exception: Those fishing in waters within
1/4 mile of Monhegan Island, Matinicus Island Group, (Metinic Island,
Little Green Island, Large Green Island, Seal Island, Wooden Ball Island,
Matinicus Island and Ragged Island (Criehaven) and Isles of Shoals Island Group
(Duck Island, Appledore Island, Cedar Island, and Smuttynose Island) are exempt
from the minimum trap per trawl requirements. Single traps are permitted within
1/4 mile from these islands.
