(a) Gear marking. The vessel number must be affixed to all fish and crab traps on board the vessel or deployed in the water by any vessel or person holding a permit under §665.13 or §665.124 or that is otherwise established to be fishing for American Samoa coral reef ecosystem ECS in the management area.

(b) Enforcement action.

(1) Traps not marked in compliance with paragraph (a) of this section and found deployed in the coral reef ecosystem management area will be considered unclaimed or abandoned property, and may be disposed of in any manner considered appropriate by NMFS or an authorized officer.

(2) Unattended surround nets or bait seine nets found deployed in the coral reef ecosystem management area will be considered unclaimed or abandoned property, and may be disposed of in any manner considered appropriate by NMFS or an authorized officer.

[75 FR 2205, Jan. 14, 2010, as amended at 84 FR 2770, Feb. 8, 2019]