(a) Applicability. To facilitate enforcement of time/area and fishery closures, enhance reporting, and support the IBQ Program (§ 635.15), an owner or operator of a commercial vessel that has been issued or is required to be issued an Atlantic Tunas Longline category LAP or a vessel that is permitted, or required to be permitted, to fish for Atlantic HMS under § 635.4 and that fishes with pelagic or bottom longline or gillnet gear is required to install a NMFS-approved enhanced mobile transmitting unit (E-MTU) vessel monitoring system (VMS) on board the vessel and operate the VMS unit under the circumstances listed in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(5) of this section. For purposes of this section, a NMFS-approved E-MTU VMS is one that has been approved by NMFS as satisfying its type approval listing for E-MTU VMS units. Those requirements are published in the Federal Register and may be updated periodically.

(1) Whenever the vessel has pelagic longline gear on board;

(2) Whenever a vessel issued a directed shark LAP, has bottom longline gear on board, is located between 33°00′ N. lat. and 36°30′ N. lat., and the mid-Atlantic shark closed area is closed as specified in § 635.21(d)(1); or

(3) Pursuant to Atlantic large whale take reduction plan requirements at 50 CFR 229.32(h), whenever a vessel issued a directed shark LAP has a gillnet(s) on board.

(4) A vessel is considered to have pelagic or bottom longline gear on board, for the purposes of this section, when the gear components as specified at § 635.2 are on board. A vessel is considered to have gillnet gear on board, for the purposes of this section, when gillnet, as defined in § 600.10 of this chapter, is on board a vessel that has been issued a shark LAP.

(5) Whenever a vessel issued an Atlantic Tunas Longline permit has green-stick gear on board.

(b) Hardware specifications. The VMS hardware must be approved by NMFS and must be able to perform all NMFS required functions. NMFS will file with the Office of the Federal Register for publication notification listing the specifications for approved VMS units. As necessary, NMFS will make additions and/or amendments to the VMS hardware type approval list to account for changes in specifications or new products offered by manufacturers. NMFS will file with the Office of the Federal Register for publication notification listing such additions and/or amendments.

(c) Communications specifications. The communications service provider must be approved by NMFS and must be able to provide all NMFS required functions. NMFS will file with the Office of the Federal Register for publication notification listing the specifications for approved VMS communications service providers. As necessary, NMFS will make additions and/or amendments to the VMS communications service providers type approval list to account for changes in specifications or new services offered by communications providers. NMFS will file with the Office of the Federal Register for publication notification listing such additions and/or amendments.

(d) Installation and activation. Only an E-MTU VMS that has been approved by NMFS for Atlantic HMS Fisheries may be used. Any VMS unit must be installed by a qualified marine electrician. When any NMFS-approved E-MTU VMS is installed and activated or reinstalled and reactivated, the vessel owner or operator must—

(1) Follow procedures indicated on a NMFS-approved installation and activation checklist for the applicable fishery, which is available from NMFS;

(2) Submit to NMFS a statement certifying compliance with the checklist, as prescribed on the checklist; and,

(3) Submit to NMFS the checklist, completed by a qualified marine electrician. Vessels fishing prior to NMFS' receipt of the completed checklist and compliance certification statement will be in violation of the VMS requirement.

(e) Operation. (1) Owners or operators of vessels subject to requirements specified in paragraph (a) of this section must ensure the VMS unit is on so that it will submit automatic position reports every hour, 24 hours a day. Except as otherwise noted in this paragraph (e)(1), the VMS unit must always be on, operating and reporting without interruption, and NMFS enforcement must receive hourly position reports without interruption. No person may interfere with, tamper with, alter, damage, disable, or impede the operation of a VMS unit, or attempt any of the same. Vessels fishing outside the geographic area of operation of the installed VMS will be in violation of the VMS requirement. Owners of vessels may request a documented power down exemption from NMFS enforcement if the vessel will not be fishing for an extended period of time. The request must describe the reason an exemption is being requested; the location of the vessel during the time an exemption is sought; the exact time period for which an exemption is needed (i.e., the time the VMS signal will be turned off and turned on again); and sufficient information to determine that a power down exemption is appropriate. Approval of a power down must be documented and will be granted, at the discretion of NMFS enforcement, only in certain circumstances (e.g., when the vessel is going into dry dock for repairs, or will not be fishing for an extended period of time).

(2) Hailing out. Prior to departure for each trip, a vessel owner or operator must initially report to NMFS declaring any highly migratory species the vessel will target on that trip and the specific type(s) of fishing gear that will be on board the vessel, using NMFS-defined gear codes. If the vessel owner or operator participates in multiple HMS fisheries, or possesses multiple fishing gears on board the vessel, the vessel owner or operator must submit multiple electronic reports to NMFS. If, during the trip, the vessel switches to a gear type or species group not reported on the initial declaration, another declaration must be submitted before this fishing begins. This information must be reported to NMFS using an attached VMS terminal or using another method as instructed by NMFS enforcement.

(3) Hailing in. A vessel owner or operator must report advance notice of landing to NMFS. For the purposes of this paragraph (e)(3), landing means to arrive at a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp. The vessel owner or operator is responsible for ensuring that NMFS is contacted at least 3 hours and no more than 12 hours in advance of landing regardless of trip duration. This information must be reported to NMFS using an attached VMS terminal and must include the date, approximate time, and location of landing.

(4) BFT and fishing effort reporting requirements for vessels fishing with pelagic longline gear or vessels issued an Atlantic Tunas Longline category LAP fishing with green-stick gear.

(i) Pelagic longline gear. The vessel owner or operator of a vessel that has pelagic longline gear on board must report to NMFS using the attached VMS terminal, or using an alternative method specified by NMFS as follows: For each set, as instructed by NMFS, the date and area of the set, the number of hooks and the length of all bluefin retained (actual), and the length of all bluefin tuna discarded dead or alive (approximate), must be reported within 12 hours of the completion each pelagic longline haul-back.

(ii) Green-stick gear. The owner or operator of a vessel with an Atlantic Tunas Longline permit that is fishing with green-stick gear must report to NMFS using the attached VMS terminal, or using an alternative method specified by NMFS as follows: For each green-stick set that interacts with BFT, as instructed by NMFS, the date and area of the set, the length of BFT retained (actual), and the numbers and lengths of all BFT discarded dead or alive (approximate), must be reported within 12 hours of the completion of the retrieval of each set.

(5) Vessel owners or operators that decide not to fish for or retain HMS for a period of time encompassing two or more trips may follow the requirements of this paragraph (e)(5) in lieu of paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(3) of this section.

(i) If a vessel owner or operator decides not to fish for or retain HMS for a period of time encompassing two or more trips, that owner or operator may choose to “declare out” of the fishery. To “declare out,” the vessel owner or operator must contact NMFS using an attached VMS terminal to indicate the operator does not plan to fish for or retain HMS. By “declaring out” of the HMS fishery, the vessel owner or operator is exempt from the requirements of paragraphs (e)(2) and (e)(3) of this section, unless the circumstances described in paragraph (e)(5)(ii) of this section apply, but must still comply with all other HMS regulations that are applicable to the vessel including area and gear closures.

(ii) If a vessel owner or operator has advised NMFS that it will not be fishing for or retaining HMS as described in paragraph (e)(5)(i) of this section, but incidentally catches and retains any HMS while fishing, the vessel owner is required to change the target species declaration and advise NMFS, as described in paragraph (e)(2) of this section while at sea before landing with any HMS. The vessel must also report advance notice of landing to NMFS as described in paragraph (e)(3) of this section.

(iii) Once the vessel owner or operator changes the declaration per paragraph (e)(5)(ii) of this section, that vessel is assumed to be fishing under the requirements of paragraphs (e)(1) through (e)(3) of this section until the vessel owner or operator makes another declaration under paragraph (e)(5) of this section.

(f) Interruption. When the vessel operator is aware that transmission of automatic position reports has been interrupted, or when notified by NMFS that automatic position reports are not being received, the vessel operator must contact NMFS and follow the instructions given. Such instructions may include but are not limited to manually communicating to a location designated by NMFS the vessel's position or returning to port until the VMS is operable.

(g) Repair and replacement. After a fishing trip during which interruption of automatic position reports has occurred, the vessel's owner or operator must have a qualified marine electrician replace or repair the VMS unit prior to the vessel's next trip. Repair or reinstallation of a VMS unit or installation of a replacement, including change of communications service provider, shall be in accordance with the installation and activation requirements specified at § 635.69(d) of this part.

(h) Access. As a condition to obtaining a LAP for Atlantic swordfish, sharks, or tunas, all vessel owners or operators using pelagic or bottom longline or gillnet gear, subject to the VMS provisions of this section must allow NMFS, the USCG, and their authorized officers and designees access to the vessel's position data obtained from the VMS at the time of or after its transmission to the vendor or receiver, as the case may be.

[64 FR 29135, May 28, 1999, as amended at 64 FR 37705, July 13, 1999; 65 FR 47238, Aug. 1, 2000; 68 FR 45169, Aug. 1, 2003; 68 FR 74788, Dec. 24, 2003; 69 FR 51012, Aug. 17, 2004; 72 FR 57194, Oct. 5, 2007; 73 FR 40712, July 15, 2008; 75 FR 30528, June 1, 2010; 76 FR 75502, Dec. 2, 2011; 78 FR 68763, 68764, Nov. 15, 2013; 79 FR 71606, Dec. 2, 2014; 80 FR 73146, Nov. 24, 2015; 87 FR 60007, Oct. 3, 2022]

(a) General. See § 600.735 of this chapter.

(b) Civil procedures for Atlantic tuna. Because of the perishable nature of Atlantic tuna when it is not chilled or frozen, an authorized officer may cause to be sold, for not less than its reasonable market value, unchilled or unfrozen Atlantic tuna that may be seized and forfeited under ATCA and this part.

In addition to the prohibitions specified in § 600.725 of this chapter, it is unlawful for any person subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to violate any provision of this part, ATCA, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, or any other rules promulgated under ATCA or the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

(a) General. It is unlawful for any person or vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to:

(1) Falsify information required on an application for a permit submitted under § 635.4 or § 635.32.

(2) Fish for, catch, possess, retain, land, or sell Atlantic HMS without the appropriate valid vessel permit with the appropriate endorsements, LAP, EFP, scientific research permit, display permit, chartering permit, or shark research permit on board the vessel, as specified in §§ 635.4 and 635.32.

(3) Purchase, receive, or transfer or attempt to purchase, receive, or transfer, for commercial purposes, Atlantic bluefin tuna landed by owners of vessels not permitted to do so under § 635.4, or purchase, receive, or transfer, or attempt to purchase, receive, or transfer Atlantic bluefin tuna without the appropriate valid Federal Atlantic tunas dealer permit issued under § 635.4. Purchase, receive, or transfer or attempt to purchase, receive, or transfer, for commercial purposes, other than solely for transport, any BAYS tunas, swordfish, or sharks landed by owners of vessels not permitted to do so under § 635.4, or purchase, receive, or transfer, or attempt to purchase, receive, or transfer, for commercial purposes, other than solely for transport, any BAYS tunas, swordfish, or sharks without the appropriate valid dealer permit issued under § 635.4 or submission of reports by dealers to NMFS according to reporting requirements specified in § 635.5. This prohibition does not apply to HMS harvested by HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat vessel permit holders operating in the U.S. Caribbean as defined at § 622.2 or to a shark harvested from a vessel that has not been issued a permit under this part and that fishes exclusively within the waters under the jurisdiction of any state.

(4) Sell or transfer or attempt to sell or transfer, for commercial purposes, an Atlantic tuna, shark, or swordfish other than to a dealer that has a valid dealer permit issued under § 635.4, except that this does not apply to HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat vessel permit holders operating in the U.S. Caribbean as defined at § 622.2, or to a shark harvested by a vessel that has not been issued a permit under this part and that fishes exclusively within the waters under the jurisdiction of any state.

(5) Fail to possess and make available for inspection a vessel permit on board the permitted vessel or upon transfer of HMS to a dealer or a dealer permit at the dealer's place of business, or to alter any such permit as specified in § 635.4(a).

(6) Falsify or fail to record, report, or maintain information required to be recorded, reported, or maintained, as specified in §§ 635.5 and 635.32 or in the terms and conditions of a permit issued under § 635.4 or an EFP, scientific research permit, display permit, chartering permit, or shark research permit issued under § 635.32.

(7) Fail to allow an authorized agent of NMFS to inspect and copy reports and records, as specified in § 635.5(e) and (f) or § 635.32.

(8) Fail to make available for inspection an Atlantic HMS or its area of custody, as specified in § 635.5(e) and (f).

(9) Fail to report the catching of any Atlantic HMS to which a conventional tag has been affixed under a tag and release program as specified in § 635.26(a).

(10) Falsify or fail to display and maintain vessel and gear identification, as specified in § 635.6.

(11) Fail to comply with the requirements for at-sea observer coverage, as specified in § 635.7 and § 600.746.

(12) For any person to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, interfere with, obstruct, delay, or prevent, by any means, any authorized officer in the conduct of any search, inspection, seizure or lawful investigation made in connection with enforcement of this part.

(13) Interfere with, delay, or prevent by any means, the apprehension of another person, knowing that such person has committed any act prohibited by this part.

(14) Fail to install, activate, repair, or replace a NMFS-approved E-MTU vessel monitoring system prior to leaving port with pelagic longline gear, bottom longline gear, or gillnet gear on board the vessel, or with green-stick gear on board a vessel issued an Atlantic Tunas Longline category permit as specified in § 635.69.

(15) Tamper with, or fail to operate and maintain a vessel monitoring system as specified in § 635.69.

(16) Fail to contact NMFS or follow NMFS instructions when automatic position reporting has been interrupted as specified in § 635.69.

(17) Fish for Atlantic tunas or swordfish with a gillnet or possess Atlantic tunas or swordfish on board a vessel with a gillnet on board, as specified in § 635.19(a), (b), and (e).

(18) Fail to retrieve fishing gear and move after an interaction with a protected species, as specified in § 635.21(b)(3).

(19) Utilize secondary gears as specified in § 635.19(a) to capture, or attempt to capture, any undersized or free swimming Atlantic HMS, or fail to release a captured Atlantic HMS in the manner specified in § 635.21(a).

(20) Fail to return a surgically implanted archival tag of a retained Atlantic HMS to NMFS or the research entity, as specified in § 635.33, or fail to report the fish, as specified in § 635.5.

(21) Fail to maintain an Atlantic HMS in the form specified in § 635.30.

(22) Fish for, catch, retain, or possess an Atlantic HMS that is less than its minimum size limit specified in § 635.20.

(23) Fail to comply with the restrictions on use of pelagic longline, bottom longline, gillnet, buoy gear, speargun gear, or green-stick gear as specified in § 635.21.

(24) Import, or attempt to import, any fish or fish products regulated under this part in a manner contrary to any import requirements or import restrictions specified at § 635.40 or 635.41.

(25) Dispose of fish or parts thereof or other matter in any manner after any communication or signal from an authorized officer, or after the approach of an authorized officer.

(26) Violate the terms and conditions or any provision of a permit issued under § 635.4 or § 635.32.

(27) Operate a charterboat or headboat without a valid U.S. Coast Guard merchant marine or uninspected passenger vessel license on board the vessel when fishing for or possessing Atlantic HMS as specified at § 635.4(b).

(28) Violate any provision of this part, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, ATCA, or any regulations or permits issued under the Magnuson-Stevens Act or ATCA.

(29) Land, transship, ship, transport, purchase, sell, offer for sale, import, export, or have in custody, possession, or control:

(i) Any fish that the person knows, or should have known, was taken, retained, possessed, or landed contrary to this part, without regard to the citizenship of the person or registry of the fishing vessel that harvested the fish.

(ii) Any fish of a species regulated pursuant to a recommendation of ICCAT that was harvested, retained, or possessed in a manner contrary to the regulations of another country.

(30) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel or anchor a fishing vessel, permitted or required to be permitted under this part, in any closed area as specified at § 635.21.

(31) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board in any closed or gear restricted areas during the time periods specified at § 635.21(c)(2).

(32) In the Gulf of Mexico, deploy or fish a pelagic longline with live bait affixed to the hooks or to possess live bait, or set up a well or tank to maintain live bait, aboard a vessel with pelagic longline gear on board as specified at § 635.21(c)(4).

(33) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with pelagic or bottom longline gear on board without carrying the required sea turtle bycatch mitigation gear, as specified at § 635.21(c)(5)(i) for pelagic longline gear and § 635.21(d)(2) for bottom longline gear. This equipment must be utilized in accordance with § 635.21(c)(5)(ii) and (d)(2) for pelagic and bottom longline gear, respectively.

(34) Fail to disengage any hooked or entangled sea turtle with the least harm possible to the sea turtle as specified at § 635.21 (c)(5) or (d)(2).

(35) For any person to assault, resist, oppose, impede, intimidate, interfere with, obstruct, delay, or prevent, by any means, NMFS personnel or anyone collecting information for NMFS, under an agreement or contract, relating to the scientific monitoring or management of Atlantic HMS.

(36) Fish with bottom or pelagic longline and shark gillnet gear for HMS without adhering to the gear operation and deployment restrictions required in 50 CFR 635.21.

(37) Fail to report to NMFS, at the number designated by NMFS, the incidental capture of listed whales with shark gillnet gear as required by § 635.21(f)(1).

(38) Fish for, or possess on board a fishing vessel, species regulated under this part in unauthorized fishing areas as specified in § 635.25.

(39) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear, from a vessel with a bottom longline on board, in any closed area during the time periods specified at § 635.21(d)(1).

(40) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear, from a vessel with bottom longline gear on board, without carrying a dipnet, line clipper, and dehooking device as specified at § 635.21(d)(2).

(41) Fail to immediately notify NMFS upon the termination of a chartering arrangement as specified in § 635.5(a)(5).

(42) Count chartering arrangement catches against quotas other than those defined as the Contracting Party of which the chartering foreign entity is a member as specified in § 635.5(a)(5).

(43) Fail to submit catch information regarding fishing activities conducted under a chartering arrangement with a foreign entity, as specified in § 635.5(a)(5).

(44) Offload charter arrangement catch in ports other than ports of the chartering Contracting Party of which the foreign entity is a member or offload catch without the direct supervision of the chartering foreign entity as specified in § 635.5(a)(5).

(45) Import or attempt to import tuna or tuna-like species harvested from the ICCAT convention area by a fishing vessel that is not listed in the ICCAT record of authorized vessels as specified in § 635.41(b).

(46) Import or attempt to import tuna or tuna-like species harvested by a fishing vessel on the ICCAT illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing list as specified in § 635.41(c).

(47) Import or attempt to import tuna or tuna-like species, placed in cages for farming and/or transshipment, harvested in the ICCAT convention area and caught by a fishing vessel included on the ICCAT list as engaged in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing as specified in § 635.41(d).

(48) Purchase any HMS that was offloaded from an individual vessel in excess of the retention limits specified in §§ 635.23 and 635.24.

(49) Sell any HMS that was offloaded from an individual vessel in excess of the retention limits specified in §§ 635.23 and 635.24.

(50) Fish without a NMFS safe handling, release, and identification workshop certificate, as required in § 635.8.

(51) Fish without having on board the vessel a valid safe handling, release, and identification workshop certificate issued to the vessel owner and operator as required in § 635.8.

(52) Falsify a NMFS safe handling, release, and identification workshop certificate or a NMFS Atlantic shark identification workshop certificate as specified at § 635.8.

(53) Fish for, catch, possess, retain, or land an Atlantic swordfish using, or captured on, “buoy gear” as defined at § 635.2, unless the vessel owner has been issued a swordfish directed limited access 125 permit or a swordfish handgear LAP in accordance with § 635.4(f) or a valid HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit in accordance with § 635.4(o).

(54) Possess, use, or deploy, in the Gulf of Mexico, with pelagic longline gear on board, any circle hook that is constructed of round wire stock that is larger than 3.65 mm in diameter during the months of January through June of any calendar year as specified in § 635.21(c)(5)(iii).

(55) Fail to electronically submit an Atlantic HMS dealer report through the HMS electronic dealer reporting system to report BAYS tunas, swordfish, and sharks to NMFS in accordance with § 635.5, if issued, or required to be issued, a Federal Atlantic HMS dealer permit pursuant to § 635.4.

(56) Have been issued a valid HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit and to purchase, barter for, or trade for HMS harvested by other vessels with the intent to sell, as specified in § 635.4(o)(5).

(57) Fail to appropriately stow longline gear when transiting a closed or gear restricted area or a monitoring area that has been closed, as specified in § 635.21(b)(2).

(58) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline gear on board in a monitoring area that has been closed as specified at § 635.21(c)(3).

(59) Fish for, retain, possess, or land any HMS from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board when the Atlantic Tunas Longline category fishery is closed, as specified in § 635.28(a)(3), (b)(7), (c)(3), and (d).

(60) Buy, trade, or barter for any HMS from a vessel with pelagic longline gear is on board when the Atlantic Tunas Longline category fishery is closed, as specified in § 635.31(a)(2), (c), and (d).

(61) Transfer in port or at sea any tuna, tuna-like species, or other HMS, as specified in § 635.29(a).

(62) A vessel owner or operator that has an HMS Charter/Headboat permit without a commercial sale endorsement is prohibited from selling any Atlantic HMS.

(b) Atlantic tunas. It is unlawful for any person or vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to:

(1) Engage in fishing with a vessel that has been issued an Atlantic Tunas or Atlantic HMS permit under § 635.4, unless the vessel travels to and from the area where it will be fishing under its own power and the person operating that vessel brings any BFT under control (secured to the catching vessel and/or brought on board) with no assistance from another vessel, except as shown by the operator that the safety of the vessel or its crew was jeopardized or other circumstances existed that were beyond the control of the operator.

(2) [Reserved]

(3) Fish for, catch, retain, or possess a BFT less than the large medium size class by a person aboard a vessel other than one that has on board a valid HMS Angling or Charter/Headboat permit as authorized under § 635.23(b) and (c).

(4) Fail to inspect a vessel's permit, fail to affix a dealer tag to a large medium or giant BFT, or fail to use such tag as specified in § 635.5(b)(2).

(5) Fail to report a large medium or giant bluefin tuna that is not sold, as specified in § 635.5(a)(3), or fail to report a bluefin tuna that is sold, as specified in § 635.5(a)(4).

(6) As the owner of a vessel permitted, or required to be permitted, in the Atlantic HMS Angling or Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat category, fail to report a BFT, as specified in § 635.5(c)(1) or (c)(3).

(7) Fish for, catch, retain, or possess a bluefin tuna with gear not authorized for the category permit issued to the vessel or to have such gear on board when in possession of a bluefin tuna, as specified in § 635.19(b).

(8) Fail to pay cost recovery fees as instructed by NMFS, as specified at § 635.15(m)(4).

(9) Hold or acquire more than 25 percent of the total IBQ shares or associated allocations annually as specified under § 635.15(n).

(10) Fail to retain and land all dead large medium or giant BFT when pelagic longline gear is on board a vessel, as specified in § 635.23(e)(2).

(11) Exceed the recreational catch limit for yellowfin tuna, as specified in § 635.22(d).

(12) Exceed a catch limit for BFT specified for the appropriate permit category, as specified in § 635.23.

(13) As a vessel with an Atlantic Tunas General category permit, fail to immediately cease fishing and immediately return to port after catching the applicable limit of large medium or giant bluefin tuna on a commercial fishing day, as specified in § 635.23(a)(4).

(14) As a person aboard a vessel issued an HMS Angling or Charter/Headboat permit, fail to immediately cease fishing and immediately return to port after catching a large medium or giant BFT or fail to report such catch, as specified in § 635.23(b)(1)(iii) and (c)(1) through (c)(3).

(15) As a person aboard a vessel issued an HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit, sell, offer for sale, or attempt to sell a large medium or giant BFT retained when fishing under the circumstances specified in § 635.23(b)(1)(iii) and (c)(1) through (c)(3).

(16) Retain a BFT caught under the catch and release program specified in § 635.26.

(17) Fish for, catch, retain, or possess BAYS tunas with gear not authorized for the category permit issued to the vessel, as specified in § 635.19(b).

(18) [Reserved]

(19) Fish for, retain, possess, or land a BFT when the fishery is closed, as specified in § 635.28(a), except as may be authorized for catch and release under § 635.26.

(20)—(22) [Reserved]

(23) Fish for, catch, possess, or retain a bluefin tuna, except as specified under § 635.23.

(24) Fail to comply with the restrictions on sale and purchase of an Atlantic tuna, as specified in §§ 635.5(b), 635.23, and 635.31(a).

(25) [Reserved]

(26) For any person to refuse to provide information requested by NMFS personnel or anyone collecting information for NMFS, under an agreement or contract, relating to the scientific monitoring or management of Atlantic tunas.

(27) Possess a large medium or giant BFT, after it has been landed, that does not have a dealer tag affixed to it as specified in § 635.5(b)(2)(ii), unless the BFT is not to be sold and has been reported per the requirements specified in §§ 635.5(a)(3) or 635.5(c).

(28) Participate in any HMS recreational fishing activity aboard a vessel issued an Atlantic Tunas General category permit unless, as specified at § 635.4(c)(2) and (3), the vessel has registered and paid an entry fee to, and is fishing under the rules of, a recreational HMS fishing tournament registered as required under § 635.5(d)

(29) As a dealer or dealer's agent, purchase, first receive, or affix a dealer tag to a BFT that is on or from a vessel that has been issued an Atlantic Tunas General category permit or HMS Charter/Headboat permit with a commercial sale endorsement, as specified in § 635.5(b)(2)(ii)(A), after 0000 local time on an RFD.

(30) Fish for any HMS, other than Atlantic BAYS tunas, with speargun fishing gear, as specified at § 635.21(h).

(31) Harvest or fish for BAYS tunas using speargun gear with powerheads, or any other explosive devices, as specified in § 635.21(h).

(32) Sell, purchase, barter for, or trade for an Atlantic BAYS tuna harvested with speargun fishing gear, as specified at § 635.31(a)(1).

(33) Fire or discharge speargun gear without being physically in the water, as specified at § 635.21(h).

(34) Use speargun gear to harvest a BAYS tuna restricted by fishing lines or other means, as specified at § 635.21(h).

(35) Use speargun gear to fish for BAYS tunas from a vessel that does not possess either a valid HMS Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat category permit, as specified at § 635.21(h).

(36) Possess J-hooks onboard a vessel that has pelagic longline gear on board, and that has been issued or required to be issued a LAP under this part, except when green-stick gear is on board, as specified at § 635.21(c)(2)(iv) and (c)(5)(iii)(C).

(37) Use or deploy J-hooks with pelagic longline gear from a vessel that has been issued, or required to be issued a LAP under this part, as specified in § 635.21(c)(5)(iii)(C).

(38) As specified in § 635.21(c)(5)(iii)(C), possess more than 20 J-hooks on board a vessel that has been issued or required to be issued a LAP under this part, when possessing onboard both pelagic longline gear and green-stick gear as defined in § 635.2.

(39) Use or deploy more than 10 hooks at one time on any individual green-stick gear, as specified in § 635.21(c)(2)(iv), (c)(5)(iii)(C), or (i).

(40) Possess, use, or deploy J-hooks smaller than 1.5 inch (38.1 mm), when measured in a straight line over the longest distance from the eye to any part of the hook, when fishing with or possessing green-stick gear on board a vessel that has been issued or required to be issued a LAP under this part, as specified at § 635.21(c)(2)(iv) or (c)(5)(iii)(C).

(41) Fail to report BFT catch by pelagic longline, through VMS as specified at § 635.69(e)(4).

(42) Fail to report all dead discards or landings of bluefin through the NMFS electronic catch reporting system within 24 hours of landing or the end of the trip as specified at § 635.5(a)(4).

(43) Fish for, retain, possess, or land albacore tuna when the fishery is closed, as specified in § 635.28(d).

(44) Buy, purchase, trade, or barter for albacore tuna when the fishery is closed, as specified in § 635.31(a)(2)(ii).

(45) Fail to comply with landing report requirements, as specified under § 635.5(b)(2)(i)(A).

(46) Deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board that does not have an approved and fully operational, working EM system as specified in § 635.9; tamper with, or fail to install, operate or maintain one or more components of the EM system; obstruct the view of the camera(s); or fail to handle BFT in a manner that allows the camera to record the fish as specified in § 635.9; or fail to comply with the standardized reference grid, hard drive, vessel monitoring plan and other requirements under § 635.9.

(47) Depart on a fishing trip or deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board without a minimum amount of IBQ allocation available for that vessel, as specified in § 635.15(f)(2), as applicable.

(48) Depart on a fishing trip or deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board without accounting for BFT as specified in § 635.15(f)(3).

(49) Lease BFT quota allocation to or from the owner of a vessel not issued a valid Atlantic Tunas Longline permit as specified under § 635.15(g)(1).

(50) Fish in the Gulf of Mexico with pelagic longline gear on board if the vessel has only designated Atlantic IBQ allocation, as specified under § 635.15(c)(3).

(51) Depart on a fishing trip or deploy or fish with any fishing gear from a vessel with a pelagic longline on board in the Gulf of Mexico, without a minimum amount of designated GOM IBQ allocation available for that vessel, as specified in § 635.15(f)(2).

(52) If leasing IBQ allocation, fail to provide all required information on the application, as specified under § 635.15(g)(2).

(53) Lease IBQ allocation in an amount that exceeds the amount of IBQ allocation associated with the lessor, as specified under § 635.15(g)(2).

(54) Sell quota share, as specified under § 635.15(h).

(55) Fail to provide BFT landings and dead discard information as specified at § 635.15(f)(3)(iii).

(56) Fish with or have pelagic longline gear on board if any quota debt associated with the permit from a preceding calendar year quarter has not been settled as specified in § 635.15(f)(4)(i).

(57) Lease IBQ allocation during the period from 6 p.m. December 31 to 2 p.m. January 1 (Eastern Time) as specified at § 635.15(g)(3)(iv).

(58) Lease IBQ allocation if the conditions of § 635.15(g)(2) are not met.

(59) Fish with or have pelagic longline gear on board if any annual level quota debt associated with the vessel from a preceding year has not been settled, as specified at § 635.15(f)(4)(ii).

(c) Billfish. It is unlawful for any person or vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to:

(1) As specified in § 635.19(c), retain a billfish harvested by gear other than rod and reel, or retain a billfish on board a vessel unless that vessel has been issued an Atlantic HMS Angling or Charter/Headboat permit or has been issued an Atlantic Tunas General category permit and is participating in a tournament in compliance with § 635.4(c).

(2) Transfer a billfish in port or at sea, as specified in § 635.29(a).

(3) Fail to maintain a billfish in the form specified in § 635.30(b).

(4) Sell or purchase a billfish, as specified in § 635.31(b).

(5) Retain onboard a vessel a longbill spearfish, or a blue marlin, white marlin, roundscale spearfish, or sailfish that is less than the minimum size specified in § 635.20(d).

(6) As the owner of a vessel permitted, or required to be permitted, in the Atlantic HMS Angling or Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat category, fail to report a billfish, as specified in § 635.5(c)(2) or (c)(3).

(7) Deploy a J-hook or an offset circle hook in combination with natural bait or a natural bait/artificial lure combination when participating in a tournament for, or including, Atlantic billfish, as specified in § 635.21(e).

(8) Take, retain, or possess an Atlantic blue marlin, white marlin, and roundscale spearfish when the fishery for these species has been restricted to catch and release fishing only, as specified in § 635.27(d).

(d) Shark. It is unlawful for any person or vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to:

(1) Exceed a recreational retention limit for shark, as specified in § 635.22(c).

(2) Exceed a commercial retention limit for shark, as specified in § 635.24(a).

(3) Retain, possess, or land a shark of a species or management group when the fishery for that species, management group, region, and/or sub-region is closed, as specified in § 635.28(b).

(4) Sell or purchase a shark of a species or management group when the fishery for that species, management group, region, and/or sub-region is closed, as specified in § 635.28(b).

(5) Transfer a shark in port or at sea, as specified in§ 635.29(a).

(6) Fail to maintain a shark in its proper form, as specified in § 635.30(c). Fail to maintain naturally attached shark fins through offloading as specified in § 635.30(c), except for under the conditions specified in § 635.30(c)(5).

(7) Sell or purchase smooth dogfish fins that are disproportionate to the weight of smooth dogfish carcasses, as specified in § 635.30(c)(5).

(8) Fail to have shark fins and carcasses weighed and recorded, as specified in § 635.30(c).

(9) Fail to comply with the restrictions on sale and purchase of a shark, as specified in § 635.31(c).

(10) Retain, possess, sell, or purchase a prohibited shark, including parts or pieces of prohibited sharks, as specified under §§ 635.22(c), 635.24(a), and 635.27(b), or fail to disengage any hooked or entangled prohibited shark with the least harm possible to the animal as specified at § 635.21(d).

(11) First receive or attempt to first receive Atlantic sharks without a valid Federal Atlantic shark dealer or proxy Atlantic shark identification workshop certificate issued to the dealer or proxy or fail to be certified for completion of a NMFS Atlantic shark identification workshop in violation of § 635.8.

(12) Fish for Atlantic sharks with unauthorized gear or possess Atlantic sharks on board a vessel with unauthorized gear on board as specified in § 635.19(d).

(13) Fish for Atlantic sharks with a gillnet or possess Atlantic sharks on board a vessel with a gillnet on board, except as specified in § 635.21(f).

(14) First receive or attempt to first receive Atlantic sharks without making available for inspection, at each of the dealer's places of business listed on the dealer permit which first receives Atlantic sharks, an original, valid dealer or proxy Atlantic shark identification workshop certificate issued by NMFS to the dealer or proxy in violation of § 635.8(b), except that trucks or other conveyances of the business must possess a copy of such certificate.

(15) Sell or transfer or attempt to sell or transfer a shark or sharks or part of a shark or sharks in excess of the retention limits specified in § 635.24(a).

(16) First receive or attempt to first receive a shark or sharks or part of a shark or sharks landed in excess of the retention limits specified in § 635.24(a).

(17) Replace sharks that are onboard the vessel for retention with sharks of higher quality or size that are caught later in a particular trip as specified in § 635.24(a).

(18) Retain or possess on board a vessel in the trawl fishery smoothhound sharks in an amount that exceeds 25 percent, by weight, of the total fish on board or offloaded from the vessel, as specified at § 635.24(a)(7).

(19) Retain, possess, transship, land, store, sell or purchase silky sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks, or scalloped, smooth, or great hammerhead sharks as specified in § 635.21(c)(1)(ii), § 635.22(a)(2), § 635.24, and § 635.31(c)(6).

(20) Retain, possess, or land porbeagle sharks that were alive at the time of haulback as specified in §§ 635.21(c)(1)(iii), 635.22(a)(3), and 635.24 (a)(10).

(21) Fish for, retain, possess, or land sharks without a shark endorsement, as specified in § 635.4(b) and (c).

(22) Except when fishing only with flies or artificial lures, fish for, retain, possess, or land sharks without deploying non-offset, corrodible circle hooks when fishing at a registered recreational HMS fishing tournament that has awards or prizes for sharks, as specified in § 635.21(e) and (j).

(23) Except when fishing only with flies or artificial lures, fish for, retain, possess, or land sharks without deploying non-offset, corrodible circle hooks when issued an Atlantic HMS Angling permit or HMS Charter/Headboat category permit with a shark endorsement, as specified in § 635.21(e) and (j).

(24) Release sharks with more than 3 feet (91.4 cm) of trailing gear, as specified in § 635.21(c)(6).

(25) Fail to follow the fleet communication and relocation protocol for dusky sharks as specified at § 635.21(c)(6), (d)(2), and (f)(5).

(26) Deploy bottom longline gear without circle hooks, or have on board both bottom longline gear and non-circle hooks, as specified at § 635.21(d)(4).

(27) Retain, land, or possess a shortfin mako shark that was caught with gear other than pelagic longline, bottom longline, or gillnet gear as specified at § 635.21(a).

(28) Retain, land, or possess a shortfin mako shark that was caught with pelagic longline, bottom longline, or gillnet gear and was alive at haulback as specified at § 635.21(c)(1), (d)(5), and (f)(6).

(29) As specified at § 635.21(c)(1), retain, land, or possess a shortfin mako shark that was caught with pelagic longline gear when the electronic monitoring system was not installed and functioning in compliance with the requirements at § 635.9.

(e) Swordfish. It is unlawful for any person or vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to:

(1) Purchase, barter for, or trade for a swordfish from the north or south Atlantic swordfish stock without a dealer permit as specified in § 635.4(g), unless the harvesting vessel possesses a valid HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit issued under § 635.4 of this part and harvested the swordfish in the U.S. Caribbean as defined at § 622.2.

(2) Fail to comply with the restrictions on use of a pelagic longline specified in § 635.21(b) and (c).

(3) When the directed fishery for swordfish is closed, exceed the limits specified in § 635.28(c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii).

(4) When the incidental catch fishery for swordfish is closed, possess, land, sell, or purchase a swordfish, as specified in § 635.28(c)(2).

(5) Transfer a swordfish in port or at sea, as specified in § 635.29(a).

(6) Fail to maintain a swordfish in the form specified in § 635.30(d).

(7) Fail to comply with the restrictions on sale and purchase of a swordfish, as specified in § 635.31(d).

(8) Fish for North Atlantic swordfish from, possess North Atlantic swordfish on board, or land North Atlantic swordfish from a vessel using or having on board gear other than pelagic longline, green-stick gear, or handgear, except as specified at § 635.19(e).

(9) Fish for swordfish from the South Atlantic swordfish stock using gear other than pelagic longline, as specified at § 635.19(e)(1) and § 635.27(c)(1)(ii).

(10) Fish for, catch, possess, retain, or land an Atlantic swordfish using, or captured on, “buoy gear” as defined at § 635.2, unless, as specified in § 635.19(e)(3), the vessel owner has been issued a swordfish directed LAP or a swordfish handgear LAP in accordance with § 635.4(f) or a valid HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit in accordance with § 635.4(o).

(11) Possess or deploy more than 35 individual floatation devices, to deploy more than 35 individual buoy gears per vessel, or to deploy buoy gear without affixed monitoring equipment, as specified at § 635.21(g).

(12) Fail to mark each buoy gear as required at § 635.6(c)(1).

(13) Exceed the incidental catch retention limits specified at § 635.24(b).

(14) Exceed the recreational catch limit for North Atlantic swordfish, as specified in § 635.22(f).

(15) As the owner of a vessel permitted, or required to be permitted, in the Atlantic HMS Angling or the Atlantic HMS Charter/Headboat category (and only when on a for-hire trip), fail to report a North Atlantic swordfish, as specified in § 635.5(c)(2) or (c)(3).

(16) Possess any HMS, other than Atlantic swordfish, harvested with buoy gear as specified at § 635.19 unless issued a valid HMS Commercial Caribbean Small Boat permit and operating within the U.S. Caribbean as defined at § 622.2 of this chapter.

(17) Fail to construct, deploy, or retrieve buoy gear as specified at § 635.21(g).

(18) As the owner of a vessel permitted, or required to be permitted, in the Swordfish General Commercial permit category, possess North Atlantic swordfish taken from its management unit by any gear other than rod and reel, handline, bandit gear, green-stick, or harpoon gear, as specified in § 635.19(e).

[64 FR 29135, May 28, 1999] Editorial Note:For Federal Register citations affecting § 635.71, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

Table 2 of Appendix A to Part 635—Pelagic Species Albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga Bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus Blue shark, Prionace glauca Bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus Dolphin fish, Coryphaena hippurus Porbeagle shark, Lamna nasus Shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus Skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis Swordfish, Xiphias gladius Thresher shark, Alopias vulpinus Wahoo, Acanthocybium solandri Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares Table 3 of Appendix A to Part 635—Demersal Species Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae Black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci Blackfin snapper, Lutjanus buccanella Blacknose shark, Carcharhinus acronotus Blacktip shark, Carcharhinus limbatus Blueline tilefish, Caulolatilus microps Bonnethead shark, Sphyrna tiburo Bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas Cubera snapper, Lutjanus cyanopterus Dog snapper, Lutjanus jocu Finetooth shark, Carcharhinus isodon Gag grouper, Mycteroperca microlepis Lane snapper, Lutjanus synagris Lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris Mangrove snapper, Lutjanus griseus Marbled grouper, Dermatolepis inermis Misty grouper, Epinephelus mystacinus Mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis Nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum Queen snapper, Etelis oculatus Red grouper, Epinephelus morio Red hind, Epinephelus guttatus Red snapper, Lutjanus campechanus Rock hind, Epinephelus adscensionis Sand tilefish, Malacanthus plumieri Sandbar shark, Carcharhinus plumbeus Schoolmaster snapper, Lutjanus apodus Silk snapper, Lutjanus vivanus Snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus Speckled hind, Epinephelus drummondhayi Spinner shark, Carcharhinus brevipinna Tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvieri Tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps Vermilion snapper, Rhomboplites aurorubens Warsaw grouper, Epinephelus nigritus Yellowedge grouper, Epinephelus flavolimbatus Yellowfin grouper, Mycteroperca venenosa Yellowtail snapper, Ocyurus chrysurus [64 FR 29135, May 28, 1999, as amended at 71 FR 58174, Oct. 2, 2006; 75 FR 30528, June 1, 2010; 76 FR 70066, Nov. 10, 2011; 78 FR 40349, July 3, 2013; 80 FR 50102, Aug. 18, 2015; 80 FR 73146, Nov. 24, 2015; 89 FR 284, Jan. 3, 2024]