For a person on a vessel to fish for Gulf reef fish in the Gulf EEZ, the following fishing gear must be on the vessel and such person must use the gear as specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.
(a) Non-stainless steel circle hooks. Non-stainless steel circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits, except that other non-stainless steel hook types may be used when commercial fishing for yellowtail snapper with natural baits in an area south of a line extending due west from 25°09′ N. lat. off the west coast of Monroe County, Florida, to the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic inter-council boundary, specified in § 600.105(c).
(b) Dehooking device. At least one dehooking device is required and must be used to remove hooks embedded in Gulf reef fish with minimum damage. The hook removal device must be constructed to allow the hook to be secured and the barb shielded without re-engaging during the removal process. The dehooking end must be blunt, and all edges rounded. The device must be of a size appropriate to secure the range of hook sizes and styles used in the Gulf reef fish fishery.
(c) Gear required by the DESCEND Act of 2020. For a person on a vessel to fish for Gulf reef fish in the Gulf EEZ, a descending device or a venting tool that is rigged and ready for use while fishing is occurring must be on the vessel. The requirements in this paragraph (c) are effective until January 14, 2026.
(1) Descending device. A descending device is an instrument capable of releasing a fish at the depth from which the fish was caught.
(i) The descending device must be a weighted hook, lip clamp, or container that will hold the fish while it is lowered to depth. The device must be capable of releasing the fish automatically, by actions of the operator of the device, or by allowing the fish to escape on its own when at depth.
(ii) The descending device must use a minimum of a 16-ounce (454-gram) weight and a minimum of a 60-ft (15.2-m) length of line.
(2) Venting tool. A venting tool is a device capable of penetrating the abdomen of a fish to release the excess gases accumulated in the body cavity when a fish is retrieved from depth. A venting tool must be a sharpened, hollow instrument that allows air to escape, such as a hypodermic syringe with the plunger removed. A 16-gauge needle, which has an outside diameter of 0.065 inches (1.65 mm), is the minimum diameter hollow tube that must be used. A larger diameter hollow needle is preferred to allow more air to escape from a fish rapidly. A device that is not hollow, such as a knife or an ice pick, is not a venting tool and will cause additional damage to a fish.
[78 FR 22952, Apr. 17, 2013, as amended at 78 FR 46822, Aug. 2, 2013; 81 FR 10311, Feb. 10, 2017; 87 FR 2357, Feb. 14, 2022]