Table 1. Fishing gear and season restrictions by fishing area. Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fishery

Uniens otherwise noted, seasons open at 0001 hours local time on the first day of the month and terminate at 2400 hours local time on the last day of the month.

Coordinates of the various arean are net forth in Figure 1 to Appendix II of 8611.9.

Sensen begins at 0001 hours local time on June 15, and terminates

at 2400 hours local time on Septembar 15.

Denotes maximum open fishing season, subject to possible earlier closure for some or all nations in accordance with A611.15

(5) Closures. The taking of any species for which a nation has an allocation is permitted, provided that:

(i) The vessels of the foreign nation have not caught the allocation of that nation for any species or species group (e.g., "other finfish"). When vessels of a foreign nation have caught an applicable allocation of any species, all further

fishing (as defined in § 611.2(r)(1)) by vessels of that nation must cease, even if other allocations have not been reached. Therefore, it is essential that foreign nations plan their fishing strategy to ensure that the reaching of an allocation for one species does not result in the premature closing of a nation's fishery for other allocated species.

(ii) The fishery has not been closed for other reasons under § 611.15.

(6) Allocation utilization. Foreign fishing vessels may elect to retain or discard allocated species; however, the computation of allocation utilization and fee refunds will be based on the total quantity of that species which was caught. Prohibited species must always be returned to the sea as required under § 611.13.

(7) Additional authorization. For the purpose of gathering additional management information, the Regional Director may authorize limited foreign fishing in areas, during seasons, and using gear not otherwise authorized in this Subpart. Special reporting requirements for such fishing may be specified by the Regional Director.

(c) Gear restrictions. (1) No foreign fishing vessel may use on the bottom a trawl net having, in any part of the net, meshes of less than 60 millimeters (inside measure when wet after use).

(2) No foreign fishing vessel may use any trawl net having, in any part of the net, meshes of less than 45 millimeters (inside measure when wet after use).

(3) Meshes are to be measured by a flat, wedge-shaped gauge having a taper of 2 centimeters in 8 centimeters and a thickness of 2.3 millimeters, inserted into meshes under a pressure or pull of 5 kilograms. The mesh size of a net shall be taken to be the average of the measurements of any series of twenty consecutive meshes, at least ten meshes from the lacings, and,

when measured in the codend of the net, beginning at the after end and running parallel to the long axis.

(4) No foreign fishing vessel may use any device or method which would have the effect of reducing mesh size, except that:

(i) Chafing gear may be attached to the underside of the codend of bottom trawl nets. Chafing gear may not be attached to trawl nets having a mesh size of less than 60 millimeters.

(ii) Net strengtheners may be attached to the codend of trawl nets providing such net strengtheners consist of mesh material identical or similar to the material of the codend and have a mesh size of at least twice the minimum authorized mesh size.

(5) To qualify as off-bottom gear, a trawl net must:

(i) Be a truly pelagic trawl net, operated with neither the doors nor the net mouth in contact with the bottom;

or

(ii) Be rigged so that the net mouth operates not less than 60 centimeters above the bottom. An otherwise standard bottom trawl net will be considered to meet this requirement if:

(A) It has attached perpendicular to the net mouth "hanging line" chains not shorter than 60 centimeters;

(B) Each chain hangs locse or is attached to steel bobbins; and

(C) No weights or other attachments are directly secured to the "hanging line" other than the chains specified in paragraph (c)(5)(ii)(A) of this section, or flotation devices.

(d) Fixed gear avoidance. (1) No foreign fishing vessel may trawl in any fixed-gear area broadcast by the Coast Guard (see § 611.11 and paragraph (d)(2) of this section). Broadcasts of fixed-gear areas will include a buffer zone around the actual reported locations of the fixed gear.

(2) The locations (latitude and longitude) of fixed-gear areas are broadcast at 1350 G.m.t. on the first day of each month by Coast Guard Communications Station Boston (NMF) on 472 kHz radiotelegraphy. Broadcast is made on 8502 kHz via simultaneous keying. The list of areas is updated each day at 1350 G.m.t. All broadcasts are numbered sequentially by month, day and year. A printed monthly sum

13-180 0-84-31

mary of fixed-gear information is available from commander (Aol), Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Governors Island, New York, N.Y. 10004 (Telephone 212-668-7877), Telex 126831.

(e) Collection, maintenance, and reporting of data. In addition to the requirements of § 611.9, each foreign nation or foreign fishing vessel shall collect, maintain or report on a timely basis accurate data relating to fishing operations as specified below. The following logs or reports are required:

(1) Fishing log. Each vessel which engages in fishing, as defined in § 611.2(r)(1), shall maintain a record of all catches during the permit period. While no form is specified, this fishing log shall contain the following information on a set-by-set basis:

(i) Date;

(ii) Trawl number (number sets consecutively each day);

(iii) Times of commencement and completion of each set;

(iv) Vessel's positions in degrees and minutes of latitude and longitude at the times of commencement and completion of each set;

(v) Type of gear used;

(vi) Mesh size (inside measure when wet after use);

(vii) Quantity of total catch to the nearest tenth of a metric tone (0.1 m.t.);

(viii) Quantity of each species to the nearest tenth of a metric ton (0.1 m.t.) (use species codes from Appendix I to § 611.9);

(ix) Disposition of the catch, by species (human consumption (including

fish consumed on board), fishmeal, or discarded).

(2) Quarterly scientific report. (i) Each foreign ..ation whose vessels engage in fishing in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Fishery shall submit not later than three months after the close of each quarter a quarterly scientific report (QSR) of the catch and effort of each such vessel to:

Director, Northeast Fisheries Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543.

Quarterly scientific reports shall be submitted for each vessel for each 30 minute latitude by 30 minute longitude area in which the vessel engaged in fishing, and for each gear type used by the vessel in a given 30 minute latitude by 30 minute longitude area, by semimonthly periods. Effort data must be submitted whether or not any catch was taken. The catch of each species taken, even, if discarded, must be shown in tenths of a metric ton (0.1 m.t.) (live round weight).

(ii) Quarterly scientific reports should be completed in accordance with the instructions in Appendix I and may be submitted in the format shown in Figure 1 to Appendix I or by magnetic tape, computer cards, or printouts. Data may also be reported using the 1977 version of the STATLANT 21-B form and the procedures established for that form.

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5. Area designation: Enter the five digit code which indicates the latitude, longitude and quadrant of the 30 minute latitude by 30 minute longitude area for which the report is submitted. The first two digits of the code are determined from the latitude in degrees (disregarding minutes); the second two digits are determined by the longitude in degrees (disregarding minutes); and the fifth digit is determined from the quadrant within the one degree latitude by one degree longitude area as follows: southeast-1, southwest-2, northeast-3, and northwest-4. For example, the 30 minute latitude by 30 minute longitude areas 45601, 45602, 45603, and 45604 are shown in the following diagram:

Enter

the

7. Target species/codes: common names and species codes (as listed in Appendix I to § 611.9) of the main species sought in the area designated during the period of the report.

8. Page numbering: Sequentially number each page and the total number of pages in the submission for each vessel. For example, if a stern trawler fished during the period of the report by bottom trawl in three different 30 minute latitude by 30 minute longitude areas and by off-bottom trawl in two of those same areas, the pages of that vessel's report would be numbered "page 1 of 5" through "page 5 of 5".

9. Semimonthly periods: Enter the desig. nation for each semimonthly period of the quarter during which fishing effort was expended in the area designated and using the gear indicated. The designation is a three digit number consisting of the numerical equivalent of the month (01 for January through 12 for December) followed by the numeral 1 for days 1-15 of each month or the number 2 for days 16 through the end of the month. Thus, the semimonthly period June 16-30 would be designated 062 and the semimonthly period July 1-15 would be designated 071..

10. Effort by standard units: Whenever possible, enter the effort expended during each semimonthly period in the standard units shown below for the fishing gear indicated on the report.

Computation

Number of times the gear has been set or shot, whether or not a catch was made.