50 CFR § 622.300-622.303 - Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic - Pelagic Sargassum Habitat of the South Atlantic Region

405 Fishery Conservation and Management § 622.303 Subpart N—Pelagic Sargassum Habitat of the South Atlantic Region § 622.300 At-sea observer coverage. (a) Required coverage. (1) A vessel that harvests or possesses pelagic sargassum on any trip in the South At lantic EEZ must carry a NMFS-ap proved observer. (2) [Reserved] (b) Notification to the SRD. When ob server coverage is required, an owner or operator must advise the SRD in writing not less than 5 days in advance of each trip of the following: (1) Departure information (port, dock, date, and time). (2) Expected landing information (port, dock, and date). (c) Observer accommodations and ac cess. An owner or operator of a vessel on which a NMFS-approved observer is embarked must: (1) Provide accommodations and food that are equivalent to those provided to the crew. (2) Allow the observer access to and use of the vessel’s communications equipment and personnel upon request for the transmission and receipt of messages related to the observer’s du ties. (3) Allow the observer access to and use of the vessel’s navigation equip ment and personnel upon request to de termine the vessel’s position. (4) Allow the observer free and unob structed access to the vessel’s bridge, working decks, holding bins, weight scales, holds, and any other space used to hold, process, weigh, or store fish. (5) Allow the observer to inspect and copy the vessel’s log, communications logs, and any records associated with the catch and distribution of fish for that trip. § 622.301 Area and seasonal restric tions. (a) Pelagic sargassum area and seasonal restrictions—(1) Area restrictions. (i) No person may harvest pelagic sargassum in the South Atlantic EEZ between 36°33′01.0″ N. lat. (directly east from the Virginia/North Carolina boundary) and 34° N. lat., within 100 nautical miles east of the North Carolina coast. (ii) No person may harvest or possess pelagic sargassum in or from the South Atlantic EEZ south of 34° N. lat. (2) Seasonal restriction. No person may harvest or possess pelagic sargassum in or from the South Atlantic EEZ during the months of July through October. This prohibition on possession does not apply to pelagic sargassum that was harvested and landed ashore prior to the closed period. (b) [Reserved] § 622.302 Minimum mesh size. (a) The minimum allowable mesh size for a net used to fish for pelagic sargassum in the South Atlantic EEZ is 4.0 inches (10.2 cm), stretched mesh, and such net must be attached to a frame no larger than 4 ft by 6 ft (1.2 m by 1.8 m). A vessel in the South Atlan tic EEZ with a net on board that does not meet these requirements may not possess any pelagic sargassum. (b) [Reserved] § 622.303 Quotas. See § 622.8 for general provisions re garding quota applicability and closure and reopening procedures. This section provides quotas and specific quota clo sure restrictions for South Atlantic pe lagic sargassum. (a) Quota. The quota for all persons who harvest pelagic sargassum in the South Atlantic EEZ is 5,000 lb (2,268 kg), wet, landed weight. See § 622.301(a) for area and seasonal limitations on the harvest of pelagic sargassum. (b) Restrictions applicable after a quota closure. Pelagic sargassum may not be fished for or possessed in the South At lantic EEZ and the sale or purchase of pelagic sargassum in or from the South Atlantic EEZ is prohibited. The prohi bition on sale/purchase during a clo sure for pelagic sargassum does not apply to pelagic sargassum that was harvested and landed ashore prior to the effective date of the closure. Subparts O–P [Reserved]