CFR

CFR

648.263—Red crab possession and landing restrictions.

(a) Vessels issued limited access red crab permits— (1) Possession and landing restrictions. A vessel or operator of a vessel that has been issued a valid limited access red crab permit under this subpart may fish for, catch, possess, transport, land, sell, trade, or barter, up to 75,000 lb (34,019.4 kg) per trip, unless adjusted consistent with paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section, of whole red crab, or its equivalent in weight as specified at paragraphs (a)(2)(i) and (ii) of this section, when fishing under a red crab DAS.

(ii) A vessel owner or operator who shows credible proof of landings on at least one trip higher than 75,000 lb (34,019.4 kg) during the limited access qualification period shall qualify for a larger trip limit, rounded to the nearest 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) of the higher trip landed. Such proof must be in writing and received by NMFS within 30 days after receipt of a vessel owner's application for an initial limited access red crab vessel permit. A vessel owner shall fish consistent with the provisions and trip limit specified at paragraph (a)(1)(i) of this section until credible proof of a trip higher than 75,000 lb (34,019.4 kg) is approved by NMFS.

(2) Conversion to whole crab weight. (i) For red crab that is landed in half sections, with all gills and other detritus still intact, the recovery rate is 64 percent of a whole red crab, which is equal to the weight of red crab half sections multiplied by 1.56.

(ii) For red crab that is landed in half sections, with all gills and other detritus removed, the recovery rate is 58 percent of a whole red crab, which is equal to the weight of red crab half sections multiplied by 1.72.

(3) Female red crab restriction. A vessel may not fish for, catch, possess, transport, land, sell, trade, or barter, female red crabs in excess of one standard U.S. fish tote of incidentally caught female red crabs per trip when fishing under a red crab DAS.

(4) Full-processing prohibition. No person may fully process at sea, possess, or land, fully-processed red crab.

(5) Mutilation restriction. A vessel may not retain, possess, or land red crab claws and legs separate from crab bodies in excess of one standard U.S. fish tote per trip when fishing under a red crab DAS.

(b) Vessels issued red crab incidental catch permits— (1) Possession and landing restrictions. A vessel or operator of a vessel that has been issued a red crab incidental catch permit may catch, possess, transport, land, sell, trade, or barter, up to 500 lb (226.8 kg) of red crab, or its equivalent in weight as specified at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, per fishing trip in or from the Red Crab Management Unit.

(2) Full-processing prohibition. No person may fully process at sea, possess, or land, fully-processed red crab.

(3) Mutilation restrictions. (i) A vessel may not retain, possess, or land red crab claws and legs separate from crab bodies.

(ii) A vessel may not retain, possess, or land more than two claws and eight legs per crab.

[67 FR 63233, Oct. 10, 2002, as amended at 74 FR 20557, May 4, 2009]