Summary of Gear Modifications for Lobster and Gillnet Fisheries in Northern Gulf of Maine 

Universal Requirements:

• No line floating at the surface

• No wet storage of gear

• Fishermen are encouraged, but not required to maintain knot-free buoy lines

State Lobster Waters Requirements: (ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS)

• All buoy lines must be 7/16” or less in diameter (this option valid only through December 31, 2002, after which you may still use this line but you also must choose one of the other three options) or:

• All buoys must be attached to the buoy line with a weak link having a breaking strength no greater than 600 lbs. Weak links may include swivels, plastic weak links, rope of the appropriate strength, hog rings, rope stapled to a buoy stick, or devices approved in writing by NMFS.  Weak link must be designed so that the bitter end of the buoy line is clean and free of knots when the weak link breaks or;

• All buoy lines must be made entirely of sinking and/or neutrally buoyant line or;

• All ground lines must be made entirely of sinking and/or neutrally buoyant line. 

Federal Lobster Waters Requirements:

• Buoy lines marked (red, 4" mark midway on the buoy line).

• All buoys must be attached to the main buoy line with a weak link having a breaking strength of no more than 600 lbs.

• The weak link must be chosen from the list of NMFS approved gear: swivels, plastic weak links, rope of appropriate strength, hog rings, or rope stapled to a buoy stick or devices approved in writing.  Weak links must be designed in such a way that the bitter end of the buoy line is clean and free of any knots when the weak link breaks.

• Multiple traps only -- no single traps allowed; trawls of 5 or fewer traps can have only 1 buoy line.

Gillnet Fisheries:

• Buoy lines marked (4" green mark midway on the buoy line).

• All buoys must be attached to the buoy line with a weak link having a breaking strength no greater than 1100 lbs.

• All net panels must contain weak links with a breaking strength no greater than 1100 lbs in the center of the headrope of each net panel.

• The weak link must be chosen from the list of NMFS approved gear: swivels, plastic weak links, rope of appropriate strength, hog rings, or rope stapled to a buoy stick or devices approved in writing.  Weak links must be designed in such a way that the bitter end of the buoy line is clean and free of any knots when the weak link breaks.

• Anchored gillnet strings of 20 or fewer net panels must be secured in 1 of 3 ways: with the holding power of at least a 22 lb Danforth-style anchor at each end of  the net string, with at least 50 lb of dead weight at each end of the net string, or with a lead line weighing at least 100 lb per 300 feet for each net panel in the net string

- March 1, 2002-