Dear ALWTRT Member or Interested Party:
Please note that the earlier message should have listed
the DAM zone as effective 0001 hours February 11, 2005, through 2400
hours February 25, 2005. A corrected notification is included below.
****************
On January 30, 2005, four right whales were sighted in the proximity of 43°
07' N latitude and 68° 35' W longitude, which resulted in NOAA Fisheries
Service
taking action under the Dynamic Area Management (DAM) program to provide
protection for this aggregation of North Atlantic right whales.
NOAA Fisheries Service announces that lobster trap/pot and
anchored gillnet fishermen must comply with the required gear modifications
(see below) in an area
east of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, effective 0001 hours February 11,
2005, through 2400 hours February 25, 2005. The regulations apply to
lobster
trap/pot and anchored gillnet fishermen in an area totaling approximately
1,415 square nautical miles (nm2) (4,853.3 km2). Once effective, all
anchored gillnet and
lobster trap/pot gear must comply with the gear restrictions required to
continue fishing in a DAM zone for the restricted time period. In
addition, NOAA
Fisheries Service requires that no additional gear be set in the DAM zone
during the 15-day period unless that gear has been modified accordingly.
Coordinates for the DAM Zone effective from 0001 hours
February 11, 2005, through 2400 hours February 25, 2005, are as follows:
43°26'N, 69°01'W (NW Corner)
43°26'N, 68°10'W
42°48'N, 68°10'W
42°48'N, 69°01'W
Special note for gillnet fisherman: This DAM zone overlaps
the year-round Cashes Ledge Closure Area found at 50 CFR 648.81(h). Due to
this
closure, sink gillnet gear is prohibited from this portion of the DAM zone.
The DAM zone also overlaps the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan’s
Offshore Closure Area found at 50 CFR 229.33(a)(5). During this closure,
sink gillnet gear is prohibited from this portion of the DAM zone unless
pingers are used in accordance with the provisions of this section.
A permit holder letter including the DAM zone coordinates
and restrictions will soon be available on the ALWTRP website (http://www.nero.nmfs.gov/whaletrp)
under “What’s New.” Additionally, an outreach supplement showing the DAM
zone overlayed onto a Nautical Chart will also be available. NOAA Fisheries
Service will be notifying the public of the DAM zone by issuing radio
announcements, working through appropriate media, distributing the permit
holder letter to
affected fishermen, as well as other means. As an ALWTRT member or
interested party, NOAA Fisheries Service appreciates your assistance in
spreading the
word about the DAM zone and its gear restrictions.
To obtain the DAM regulations in their entirety, please
call 978-281-9300 x6505. In addition, these regulations are available by
accessing the ALWTRP web page
(http://www.nero.nmfs.gov/whaletrp/)
and going to “The Plan” and “Regulations Implementing the Plan.” If you
have any questions regarding these regulations,
please call 978-281-9300 x6505 or the ALWTRP Coordinator at the number
below.
--
Diane Borggaard
Large Whale Coordinator
NOAA/NMFS/NERO Protected Resources Division
1 Blackburn Dr.
Gloucester, MA 01930
Ph: 978-281-9300 ext. 6503
Fax: 978-281-9394
e-mail: diane.borggaard@noaa.gov
***************************
DAM Program Gear Requirements
In addition to those gear modifications currently
implemented under the ALWTRP at 50 CFR 229.32, the following gear
modifications are required in the DAM
zone. If the requirements and exceptions for gear modification in the DAM
zone, as described below, differ from other ALWTRP requirements for any
overlapping
areas and times, then the more restrictive requirements will apply in the
DAM zone. Please note that the below provides a summary of the DAM Program
gear
requirements and is not a substitute for the ALWTRP regulations.
Lobster Trap/Pot Gear
Fishermen utilizing lobster trap/pot gear within the portion of the Northern
Nearshore Lobster Waters that overlap with the DAM zone are required to
utilize all of
the following gear modifications while the DAM zone is in effect:
1. Groundlines must be made of either sinking or neutrally
buoyant line. Floating groundlines are prohibited;
2. All buoy lines must be made of either sinking or neutrally buoyant line,
except the bottom portion of the line, which may be a section of floating
line not to exceed
one-third the overall length of the buoy line;
3. Fishermen are allowed to use two buoy lines per trawl; and
4. A weak link with a maximum breaking strength of 600 lb (272.4 kg) must be
placed at all buoys.
Fishermen utilizing lobster trap/pot gear within the
portion of the Offshore Lobster Waters Area that overlap with the DAM zone
are required to utilize all of the
following gear modifications while the DAM zone is in effect:
1. Groundlines must be made of either sinking or neutrally buoyant line.
Floating groundlines are prohibited;
2. All buoy lines must be made of either sinking or neutrally buoyant line,
except the bottom portion of the line, which may be a section of floating
line not to exceed
one-third the overall length of the buoy line;
3. Fishermen are allowed to use two buoy lines per trawl; and
4. A weak link with a maximum breaking strength of 1,500 lb (680.4 kg) must
be placed at all buoys.
Anchored Gillnet Gear
Fishermen utilizing anchored gillnet gear within the portions of the Other
Northeast Gillnet Waters that overlap with the DAM zone are required to
utilize all the
following gear modifications while the DAM zone is in effect:
1. Groundlines must be made of either sinking or neutrally
buoyant line. Floating groundlines are prohibited;
2. All buoy lines must be made of either sinking or neutrally buoyant line,
except the bottom portion of the line, which may be a section of floating
line not to exceed
one-third the overall length of the buoy line;
3. Fishermen are allowed to use two buoy lines per string;
4. Each net panel must have a total of five weak links with a maximum
breaking strength of 1,100 lb (498.8 kg). Net panels are typically 50
fathoms (91.4 m) in
length, but the weak link requirements would apply to all variations in
panel size. These weak links must include three floatline weak links. The
placement of the
weak links on the floatline must be: one at the center of the net panel and
one each as close as possible to each of the bridle ends of the net panel.
The remaining
two weak links must be placed in the center of each of the up and down lines
at the panel ends; and
5. All anchored gillnets, regardless of the number of net panels, must be
securely anchored with the holding power of at least a 22 lb (10.0 kg)
Danforth-style
anchor at each end of the net string.
