Whale Rules

Whale Rules

 

 

This email is a reminder of the Federal Whale Rules (Vertical Line Rules) that were published June 27, 2014 and to alert to NEW requirements published May 28, 2015.

  

Final Rule published June 27, 2014   For Maine, measures include status quo for the exempted waters, status quo for the pocket waters, new trawling up requirements, a new 6-mile line, additional gear marking, and some island buffers that will be allowed to fish single traps 1/4 mile from the island, all with an effective date of June 1, 2015.

 

NEW Final Rule published May 28, 2015 to amend the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.   For Maine, this rule included folding in additional islands allowed to fish single traps within 1/4 mile from the islands, as well as expanded gear marking requirements in the waters around Jeffreys Ledge, Jordan Basin and singles around Isles of Shoals.   The amendments and effective dates for this newly published rule vary depending on the portion of the rule and are described further later in this email.

The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan was modified to include the following new requirements and definitions with an effective date of June 1, 2015.

 

Trawling Up Requirements - There will be a minimum number of traps per trawl based on the different lobster zones and distance from shore to reduce the number of buoy lines in the water column.  Exempted waters do not have a minimum and can fish any configuration, including singles.

 

 

Zones A, B and C

• Beach to the Exemption Line – status quo
• Exemption Line to 3-mile line – pairs min, no singles
• 3 to 6 miles – triples min (*See excerpt from the Hancock County Trawl Limit Rule below)
• 6 to 12 miles – 5’s min
• 12+ miles – 15’s min

*In the 3-6 mile region of the Hancock County Trawl Limit area, only triples may be fished to comply with the three traps on a trawl maximum allowed per DMR Chapter 25.04 (B)(3).

 

Zones D, E, F and G

• Beach to the Exemption Line – status quo
• Exemption Line to 3-mile line – pairs min, no singles
• 3 to 6 miles – triples min
• 6 to 12 miles – 10’s min
• 12+ miles** – 15’s min

    **Zones F and G  

• Nov 1 to Feb 29 (seasonal)    12+ miles – 20’s min

  

Here is a link to the zone charts for the different trawling up requirements.

Charts for Trawling Up Requirements, by Maine Zone (PDF file, 7 pages, 3.4 MB) 

 

 

New 6-mile Line - Aligns with Maine’s new trawling up requirements.

 

 

  

 

 

Maine’s 6-mile line is a line connecting the following points (Machias Seal to Isles of Shoals).

 

Maine’s 6-Mile Line Coordinates

 

6 – Machias Seal                    44°31.98′ N    67°9.72′ W

5 – Mount Desert Island         44°3.42′ N       68°10.26′ W

4 – Matinicus                           43°40.98′ N    68°48.84′ W

3 – Monhegan                         43°39.24′ N    69°18.54′ W

2 – Casco Bay                        43°29.4′ N      70°5.88′ W

1 – Isles of Shoals                  42°55.38′ N    70°28.68′ W

 

 

Conversion for those using TDs

 

6 – Machias Seal                   11976.05              25719.82              44488.96              60323.72

5 – Mount Desert Island        12427.20              25728.64              44474.58              60324.22

4 – Matinicus                          12776.91              25723.21              44447.32              60321.43

3 – Monhegan                        12952.99              25809.88              44489.31              60321.75

2 – Casco Bay                       13303.05              25949.56              44531.95              60320.36

1 – Isles of Shoals                 13653.14              25869.87              44416.94              60302.60

 

 

Gear Marking - Buoy lines must now be marked three times (top, middle, bottom) with three 12” red marks (rather than the one 4” red mark) in regulated waters outside of the exemption line.  No gear marking in the exempted waters of Maine (inside the exemption line). See amended rules below for expanded gear marking for Jeffreys, Jordan Basin and those fishing singles around Isles of Shoals.

 

Pocket Waters - The final rule treats ‘pocket waters’ in Maine as state waters allowing lobstermen to fish a minimum of two traps per trawl instead of three.  

 

Maine’s Pocket Waters Coordinates

• West of Monhegan Island in the area north of the line
  43°42.17′ N. lat., 69°34.27′ W. long and 43°42.25′ N. lat.,69°19.3′ W. long
  
• East of Monhegan Island in the area located north of the line
  43°44′ N. lat., 69°15.08′W. long and 43°48.17′ N. lat., 9°8.02′ W. long
  
• South of Vinalhaven Island in the area located west of the line
  43°52.31′ N. lat.,68°40′ W. long and 43°58.12′ N. lat.,68°32.95′ W. long
  
• South of Bois Bubert Island in the area located northwest of the line
  44°19.27′ N. lat., 67°49.5′ W. long and 44°23.67′ N. lat., 67°40.5′ W. long

 

Island Buffers - The final rule creates a 1⁄4 mile buffer in waters surrounding the three inhabited islands of Monhegan, Matinicus, and Ragged Island (Criehaven). See amended rules below for additional islands included in this exemption.  Boats fishing within this 1⁄4 mile buffer will be allowed to continue the current practice of fishing singles.

 

 

On May 28, 2015, NMFS issued a new final rule to amend the regulations implementing the

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan.

 

For Maine, this rule folded in additional islands allowed to fish single traps within 1/4 mile from the islands and expanded gear marking requirements.

 

• This rule adds several additional islands to the Island Buffers creating a 1⁄4 mile buffer in waters surrounding the following islands in Maine—Matinicus Island Group (Metinic, Small Green, Large Green, Seal and Wooden Ball) and Isles of Shoals Island Group (Duck, Appledore, Cedar and Smuttynose).  Boats within this 1⁄4 mile buffer are allowed to continue fishing single traps rather than multiple trap trawls.  Effective immediately.

 

 New Gear (Buoy Line) Marking Area Requirements: 

 

• In addition, the rule requires those fishing single traps in the Isles of Shoals buffer area to uniquely mark their gear with ***Red and Orange, effective July 1, 2015.
  
  
• Two new gear marking areas have been added for trap/pots: Jeffreys Ledge and Jordan Basin, effective September 1, 2015.
•    ***Red and Purple for Jordan Basin
•    ***Red and Green for Jeffreys Ledge

***Please note: The buoy line rope must be marked at least three times (top, middle, bottom) and each mark must total 12-inches in length. If the mark consists of two colors, then each color mark may be 6-inches for a total mark of 12-inches.

 

 

 

 

 

If you have questions about compliance, please contact the

Maine Marine Patrol Division Offices.

 

DIVISION I (Boothbay Harbor):                     207-633-9595

DIVISION II (Lamoine):                                  207-667-3373

 

For more information on these and other ALWTRP requirements: 

www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/whaletrp