---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 C.F.R. § 648.264"
title: "50"
number: "648.264"
heading: "Gear requirements/restrictions."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/50/648.264"
---

# §648.264. Gear requirements/restrictions.

- (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)](#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.**
    - (i) Vessels must comply with the gear regulations found at [§ 229.32](/cfr/50/229.32.md) of this title.
    - (ii) Red crab traps/pots, fished in 200 fathoms (365.8 m) or less by a vessel issued a limited access lobster permit under [§ 697.4(a)](/cfr/50/697.4.md?p=a), must comply with the trap tagging requirements specified at [§ 697.19](/cfr/50/697.19.md).
- (b) [Reserved]

## Notes

### Amendments

[67 FR 63233, Oct. 10, 2002, as amended at 72 FR 57194, Oct. 5, 2007; 76 FR 60384, Sept. 29, 2011]

### Source

Source: 67 FR 63233, Oct. 10, 2002, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

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

### Source

Source: 61 FR 34968, July 3, 1996, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[67 FR 63233, Oct. 10, 2002, as amended at 72 FR 57194, Oct. 5, 2007; 76 FR 60384, Sept. 29, 2011]