---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 C.F.R. § 622.74"
title: "50"
number: "622.74"
heading: "Area closures to protect Gulf corals."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/50/622.74"
---

# §622.74. Area closures to protect Gulf corals.


For the purposes of this section, fishing gear is deployed if any part of the gear is in contact with the water.

- (a) **Florida Middle Grounds HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, dredge, pot, or trap is prohibited year-round in the area bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (b) **Tortugas marine reserves HAPC.** Fishing for any species and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the areas of the HAPC.
  - (1) **EEZ portion of Tortugas North HAPC.** The area is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order: From point A at 24°40.000′ N lat., 83°06.000′ W long. to point B at 24°46.000′ N lat., 83°06.000′ W long. to point C at 24°46.000′ N lat., 83°00.000′ W long.; then along the line denoting the seaward limit of Florida state waters, as shown on the current edition of NOAA chart 11434, to point A at 24°40.000′ N lat., 83°06.000′ W long.
  - (2) **Tortugas South HAPC.** The area is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (c) **Pulley Ridge South HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (d) **Pulley Ridge South Portion A HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (e) **West Florida Wall HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (f) **Alabama Alps Reef HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (g) **L & W Pinnacles and Scamp Reef HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (h) **Mississippi Canyon 118 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (i) **Roughtongue Reef HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (j) **Viosca Knoll 826 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (k) **Viosca Knoll 862/906 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the area of the HAPC. This prohibition does not apply to a fishing vessel issued a Gulf royal red shrimp endorsement, as specified in [§ 622.50(c)](/cfr/50/622.50.md?p=c), while the vessel is fishing for royal red shrimp. The HAPC is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (l) **McGrail Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (m) **AT 047 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (n) **AT 357 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (o) **Green Canyon 852 HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (p) **West Flower Garden Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (q) **East Flower Garden Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (r) **Stetson Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (s) **Harte Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:
- (t) **Southern Bank HAPC.** Deployment of a bottom longline, bottom trawl, buoy gear, dredge, pot, or trap, and bottom anchoring by fishing vessels are prohibited year-round in the HAPC, which is bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following points in order:

## Notes

### Amendments

[85 FR 65746, Oct. 16, 2020]

### Authority

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

### Source

Source: 78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[85 FR 65746, Oct. 16, 2020]