Sea Turtle Conservation; Fisheries of the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and South Atlantic

This rule implements an area closure and associated gear restrictions applicable to the bottom longline component of the reef fish fishery in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce incidental take and mortality of sea turtles. Specifically, this rule prohibits the use of bottom longline gear for the harvest of reef fish shoreward of a line approximating the 35-fathom depth contour in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and limits bottom longline vessels operating in the reef fish fishery east of longitude 85[deg]30'W to 1,000 hooks onboard, of which only 750 may be actively fished or rigged for fishing.