660.721—Recreational fishing bag limits.
This section applies to recreational fishing for HMS management unit species in the U.S. EEZ off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington and in the adjacent high seas areas. In addition to individual fishermen, the operator of a vessel that fishes in the EEZ is responsible for ensuring that the bag limits of this section are not exceeded. The bag limits of this section apply on the basis of each 24-hour period at sea, regardless of the number of trips per day. The provisions of this section do not authorize any person to take more than one daily bag limit of fishing during one calendar day. Federal recreational HMS regulations are not intended to supersede any more restrictive state recreational HMS regulations relating to federally-managed HMS. The bag limits include fish taken in both state and Federal waters.
(a) Albacore Tuna Daily Bag Limit.
Except pursuant to a multi-day possession permit referenced in paragraph (c) of this section, a recreational fisherman may take or retain no more than:
(1)
Ten albacore tuna if any part of the fishing trip occurs in the U.S. EEZ south of a line running due west true from 34°27′ N. latitude (at Point Conception, Santa Barbara County) to the U.S.-Mexico border.
(2)
Twenty-five albacore tuna if any part of the fishing trip occurs in the U.S. EEZ north of a line running due west true from 34°27′ N. latitude (at Point Conception, Santa Barbara County) to the California-Oregon border.
(b) Bluefin Tuna Daily Bag Limit.
A recreational fisherman may take or retain no more than 10 bluefin tuna in the U.S. EEZ off the coast of California.
(c) Possession Limits.
If the State of California requires a multi-day possession permit for albacore or bluefin tuna harvested by a recreational fishing vessel and landed in California, aggregating daily trip limits for multi-day trips would be deemed consistent with Federal law.
(d)
Boat Limits Off the coast of California, boat limits apply, whereby each fisherman aboard a vessel may continue to use recreational angling gear until the combined daily limits of HMS for all licensed and juvenile anglers aboard has been attained (additional state restrictions on boat limits may apply). Unless otherwise prohibited, when two or more persons are angling for HMS species aboard a vessel in the EEZ, fishing may continue until boat limits are reached.
[72 FR 58259, Oct. 15, 2007]