(a) Mid-Atlantic Scallop Access Area. (1) Beginning March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Mid-Atlantic Access Area unless the vessel is participating in, and complies with the requirements of, the area access program described in Sec. 648.60. The Mid-Atlantic Access Area is comprised of the following scallop access areas: The Delmarva Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section; the Elephant Trunk Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section; and the Hudson Canyon Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.
(1) Beginning March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Mid-Atlantic Access Area unless the vessel is participating in, and complies with the requirements of, the area access program described in Sec. 648.60. The Mid-Atlantic Access Area is comprised of the following scallop access areas: The Delmarva Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section; the Elephant Trunk Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(3) of this section; and the Hudson Canyon Scallop Access Area, as described in paragraph (a)(4) of this section.
(2) Delmarva Scallop Access Area. The Delmarva Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request): ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude------------------------------------------------------------------------DMV1........................... 3810 N. 7450 W.DMV2........................... 3810 N. 7400 W.DMV3........................... 3715 N. 7400 W.DMV4........................... 3715 N. 7450 W.DMV1........................... 3810 N. 7450 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Season. A vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Delmarva Sea Scallop Access Area, described in paragraph (a)(2) of this section, during the period of March 1, 2016, through March 31, 2016.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) Elephant Trunk Scallop Access Area. The Elephant Trunk Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request): ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude------------------------------------------------------------------------ETAA1.......................... 3830 N. 7420 W.ETAA2.......................... 3830 N. 7350 W.ETAA3.......................... 3840 N. 7350 W.ETAA4.......................... 3840 N. 7340 W.ETAA5.......................... 3850 N. 7340 W.ETAA6.......................... 3850 N. 7330 W.ETAA7.......................... 3810 N. 7330 W.ETAA8.......................... 3810 N. 7420 W.ETAA1.......................... 3830 N. 7420 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Hudson Canyon Scallop Access Area. The Hudson Canyon Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request): ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude------------------------------------------------------------------------H1............................. 3930 N. 7310 W.H2............................. 3930 N. 7230 W.H3............................. 3830 N. 7330 W.H4............................. 3850 N. 7330 W.H5............................. 3850 N. 7342 W.H1............................. 3930 N. 7310 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------
(b) Closed Area I Scallop Access Area. (1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from, the area known as the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area, described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, unless transiting in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (b)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from, the area known as the Closed Area I Scallop Access Area, described in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, unless transiting in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (b)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(2) [Reserved]
(3) The Closed Area I Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request), and so that the line connecting points CAIA3 and CAIA4 is the same as the portion of the western boundary line of Closed Area I, defined in Sec. 648.81(a)(1), that lies between points CAIA3 and CAIA4: ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude Note------------------------------------------------------------------------CAIA1........................ 4126 N. 6830 W.CAIA2........................ 4058 N. 6830 W.CAIA3........................ 4054.95 N. 6853.37 W. (\1\)CAIA4........................ 4104 N. 6901 W. (\1\)CAIA1........................ 4126 N. 6830 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ From Point CAIA3 to Point CAIA4 along the western boundary of Closed
Area I, defined in Sec. 648.81(a)(1).
(4) [Reserved]
(c) Closed Area II Scallop Access Area. (1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from, the area known as the Closed Area II Access Area, described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, unless transiting in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (c)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from, the area known as the Closed Area II Access Area, described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, unless transiting in accordance with paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (c)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(2) [Reserved]
(3) The Closed Area II Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines, except where noted, connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request): ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude Note------------------------------------------------------------------------CAIIA1....................... 4100 N. 6720 W.CAIIA2....................... 4100 N. 6635.8 W.CAIIA3....................... 4118.45 N. (\1\) (\2\)CAIIA4....................... 4130 N. (\3\) (\2\)CAIIA5....................... 4130 N. 6720 W.CAIIA1....................... 4100 N. 6720 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ The intersection of 4118.45 N. lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime
Boundary, approximately 4118.45 N. lat. and 6624.89 W. long.\2\ From Point CAIIA3 connected to Point CAIIA4 along the U.S.-Canada
Maritime Boundary.\3\ The intersection of 4130 N. lat. and the U.S.-Canada Maritime
Boundary, approximately 4130 N. lat., 6634.73 W. long.
(4) Season. A vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Closed Area II Sea Scallop Access Area, described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section, during the period of August 15 through November 15 of each year the Closed Area II Access Area is open to scallop vessels, unless transiting pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section.
(d) Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Area. (1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Nantucket Lightship Access Area, described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, unless transiting pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (d)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(1) From March 1, 2015, through February 28, 2017 (i.e., fishing years 2015 and 2016), a vessel issued a scallop permit may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the area known as the Nantucket Lightship Access Area, described in paragraph (d)(3) of this section, unless transiting pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section. A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may not fish in an approved SAP under Sec. 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the scallop access area, unless it complies with restrictions in paragraph (d)(5)(ii)(C) of this section.
(2) [Reserved]
(3) The Nantucket Lightship Sea Scallop Access Area is defined by straight lines connecting the following points in the order stated (copies of a chart depicting this area are available from the Regional Administrator upon request): ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Point Latitude Longitude------------------------------------------------------------------------NLAA1.......................... 4050 N. 6930 W.NLAA2.......................... 4050 N. 6900 W.NLAA3.......................... 4020 N. 6900 W.NLAA4.......................... 4020 N. 6930 W.
NLAA1.......................... 4050 N. 6930 W.------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) [Reserved]
(e) [Reserved]
(f) Transiting. A sea scallop vessel that has not declared a trip into the Sea Scallop Area Access Program may enter the Sea Scallop Access Areas described in paragraphs (a), (b), (d), and (e), of this section, and possess scallops not caught in the Sea Scallop Access Areas, for transiting purposes only, provided the vessel's fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use as defined in Sec. 648.2. A scallop vessel that has declared a trip into the Sea Scallop Area Access Program may transit a Scallop Access Area while steaming to or from another Scallop Access Area, provided the vessel's fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use as defined in Sec. 648.2, or there is a compelling safety reason to be in such areas without such gear being stowed. A vessel may only transit the Closed Area II Access Area, as described in paragraph (c) of this section, if there is a compelling safety reason for transiting the area and the vessel's fishing gear is stowed and not available for immediate use as defined in Sec. 648.2. [78 FR 27104, May 9, 2013, as amended at 79 FR 34262, June 16, 2014; 80 FR 22133, Apr. 21, 2015]