622.45—Restrictions on sale/purchase.

In addition to restrictions on sale/purchase related to closures, as specified in § 622.43 (a) and (b), restrictions on sale and/or purchase apply as follows.

(a) Caribbean coral reef resource. (1) No person may sell or purchase a Caribbean prohibited coral harvested in the Caribbean EEZ.

(2) A Caribbean prohibited coral that is sold in Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands will be presumed to have been harvested in the Caribbean EEZ, unless it is accompanied by documentation showing that it was harvested elsewhere. Such documentation must contain:

(i) The information specified in subpart K of part 300 of this title for marking containers or packages of fish or wildlife that are imported, exported, or transported in interstate commerce.

(ii) The name and home port of the vessel, or the name and address of the individual, harvesting the Caribbean prohibited coral.

(iii) The port and date of landing the Caribbean prohibited coral.

(iv) A statement signed by the person selling the Caribbean prohibited coral attesting that, to the best of his or her knowledge, information, and belief, such Caribbean prohibited coral was harvested other than in the Caribbean EEZ or the waters of Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

(b) Caribbean reef fish. A live red hind or live mutton snapper in or from the Caribbean EEZ may not be sold or purchased and used in the marine aquarium trade.

(c) Gulf reef fish. (1) A Gulf reef fish harvested in the EEZ on board a vessel that does not have a valid commercial permit for Gulf reef fish, as required under § 622.4(a)(2)(v), or a Gulf reef fish possessed under the bag limits specified in § 622.39(b), may not be sold or purchased.

(2) A Gulf reef fish harvested on board a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for Gulf reef fish may be sold only to a dealer who has a valid permit for Gulf reef fish, as required under § 622.4(a)(4).

(3) A Gulf reef fish harvested in the EEZ may be purchased by a dealer who has a valid permit for Gulf reef fish, as required under § 622.4(a)(4), only from a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for Gulf reef fish.

(4) From February 15 until March 15, each year, no person may sell or purchase a gag, black grouper, or red grouper harvested from the Gulf by a vessel with a valid Federal commercial permit for Gulf reef fish. This prohibition on sale/purchase does not apply to gag, black grouper, or red grouper that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to February 15 and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

(d) South Atlantic snapper-grouper. (1) A South Atlantic snapper-grouper harvested or possessed in the EEZ on board a vessel that does not have a valid commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper, as required under § 622.4(a)(2)(vi), or a South Atlantic snapper-grouper harvested in the EEZ and possessed under the bag limits specified in § 622.39(d), may not be sold or purchased. In addition, a South Atlantic snapper-grouper harvested or possessed by a vessel that is operating as a charter vessel or headboat with a Federal charter vessel/headboat permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper may not be sold or purchased regardless of where harvested, i.e., in state or Federal waters.

(2) A person may sell South Atlantic snapper-grouper harvested in the EEZ only to a dealer who has a valid permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper, as required under § 622.4(a)(4).

(3) A person may purchase South Atlantic snapper-grouper harvested in the EEZ only from a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper, as required under § 622.4(a)(2)(vi).

(4) A warsaw grouper or speckled hind in or from the South Atlantic EEZ may not be sold or purchased.

(5) No person may sell or purchase a snowy grouper, gag, golden tilefish, greater amberjack, vermilion snapper, black sea bass, or red porgy harvested from or possessed in the South Atlantic, i.e., in state or Federal waters, by a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued for the remainder of the fishing year after the applicable commercial quota for that species specified in § 622.42(e) has been reached. The prohibition on sale/purchase during these periods does not apply to such of the applicable species that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to the applicable commercial quota being reached and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor.

(6) During January, February, March, and April, no person may sell or purchase a red porgy harvested from the South Atlantic EEZ or, if harvested by a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, harvested from the South Atlantic, i.e., in state or Federal waters. The prohibition on sale/purchase during January through April does not apply to red porgy that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to January 1 and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. This prohibition also does not apply to a dealer's purchase or sale of red porgy harvested from an area other than the South Atlantic, provided such fish is accompanied by documentation of harvest outside the South Atlantic. The requirements for such documentation are specified in paragraph (d)(9) of this section.

(7) During April, no person may sell or purchase a greater amberjack harvested from the South Atlantic EEZ or, if harvested by a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, harvested from the South Atlantic, i.e., in state or Federal waters. The prohibition on sale/purchase during April does not apply to greater amberjack that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to April 1 and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. This prohibition also does not apply to a dealer's purchase or sale of greater amberjack harvested from an area other than the South Atlantic, provided such fish is accompanied by documentation of harvest outside the South Atlantic. The requirements for such documentation are specified in paragraph (d)(9) of this section.

(8) During January through April, no person may sell or purchase a gag, black grouper, red grouper, scamp, red hind, rock hind, yellowmouth grouper, tiger grouper, yellowfin grouper, graysby, or coney harvested from or possessed in the South Atlantic EEZ or, if harvested or possessed by a vessel for which a valid Federal commercial permit for South Atlantic snapper-grouper has been issued, harvested from the South Atlantic, i.e., in state or Federal waters. The prohibition on sale/purchase during January through April does not apply to such species that were harvested, landed ashore, and sold prior to January 1 and were held in cold storage by a dealer or processor. This prohibition also does not apply to a dealer's purchase or sale of such species harvested from an area other than the South Atlantic, provided such fish is accompanied by documentation of harvest outside the South Atlantic. The requirements for such documentation are specified in paragraph (d)(9) of this section.

(9) The documentation supporting a dealer's purchase or sale of applicable species during the times specified in paragraphs (d)(6) through (d)(8) of this section must contain:

(i) The information specified in part 300, subpart K, of this title for marking containers or packages of fish or wildlife that are imported, exported, or transported in interstate commerce;

(ii) The official number, name, and home port of the vessel harvesting the applicable species;

(iii) The port and date of offloading from the vessel harvesting the applicable species; and

(iv) A statement signed by the dealer attesting that the applicable species was harvested from an area other than the South Atlantic.

(e) Gulf and South Atlantic wild live rock. Wild live rock in or from the Gulf EEZ or South Atlantic EEZ may not be sold or purchased. The prohibition on sale or purchase does not apply to wild live rock from the South Atlantic EEZ that was harvested and landed prior to January 1, 1996, or to wild live rock from the Gulf EEZ that was harvested and landed prior to January 1, 1997.

(f) South Atlantic golden crab. (1) A female golden crab in or from the South Atlantic EEZ may not be sold or purchased.

(2) A golden crab harvested in the South Atlantic EEZ on board a vessel that does not have a valid commercial permit for golden crab, as required under § 622.4(a)(2)(x), may not be sold or purchased.

(3) A golden crab harvested on board a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for golden crab may be sold only to a dealer who has a valid permit for golden crab, as required under § 622.4(a)(4).

(4) A golden crab harvested in the South Atlantic EEZ may be purchased by a dealer who has a valid permit for golden crab, as required under § 622.4(a)(4), only from a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for golden crab.

(g) South Atlantic rock shrimp. (1) Rock shrimp harvested in the South Atlantic EEZ on board a vessel that does not have a valid commercial permit for rock shrimp, as required under § 622.4(a)(2)(viii), may not be transferred, received, sold, or purchased.

(2) Rock shrimp harvested on board a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for rock shrimp may be transferred or sold only to a dealer who has a valid permit for rock shrimp, as required under § 622.4(a)(4).

(3) Rock shrimp harvested in the South Atlantic EEZ may be received or purchased by a dealer who has a valid permit for rock shrimp, as required under § 622.4(a)(4), only from a vessel that has a valid commercial permit for rock shrimp.

(h) Cut-off (damaged) king or Spanish mackerel. A person may not sell or purchase a cut-off (damaged) king or Spanish mackerel that does not comply with the minimum size limits specified in § 622.37(c)(2) or (c)(3), respectively, or that is in excess of the trip limits specified in § 622.44(a) or (b), respectively.