50 CFR §648.264
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)Limited access red crab permitted vessels.
- (1)Limited access red crab vessel may not harvest red crab from any fishing gear other than red crab traps/pots, marked as specified by paragraph (a)(5) of this section.
- (2)A vessel owner or operator of a vessel that holds a valid limited access red crab permit may fish with, deploy, possess, haul, harvest red crab from, or carry on board a vessel, up to a total of 600 traps/pots when fishing for, catching, or landing red crab. A vessel owner is required to declare, on the annual permit application, the maximum number of traps/pots used per string and the maximum number of strings employed, such that the product of the maximum number of traps/pots per string and the maximum number of strings declared is no more than 600 traps/pots. The vessel is restricted to the product of the maximum number of traps/pots per string multiplied by the maximum number of strings declared on the annual vessel permit application.
- (3)Parlor traps/pots. No person may haul or remove lobster, red crab or fish from parlor traps/pots when fishing under a red crab DAS.
- (4)Maximum trap/pot size. The maximum allowable red crab trap/pot size of red crab traps/pots used or deployed on a red crab DAS is 18 cubic feet (0.51 cubic meters) in volume. Red crab traps/pots may be rectangular, trapezoidal or conical only, unless other red crab trap/pot designs whose volume does not exceed 18 cubic feet (0.51 cubic meters) are authorized by the Regional Administrator.
- (5)Gear markings. The following is required on all buoys used at the end of each red crab trawl:
- (i)The letters “RC” in letters at least 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height must be painted on top of each buoy.
- (ii)The vessel's permit number in numerals at least 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height must be painted on the side of each buoy to clearly identify the vessel.
- (iii)The number of each trap trawl relative to the total number of trawls used by the vessel (i.e., “3 of 6”) must be painted in numerals at least 3 inches (7.62 cm) in height on the side of each buoy.
- (iv)High flyers and radar reflectors are required on each trap trawl.
- (6)Additional gear requirements.
- (b)[Reserved]