Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan

Any persons setting trap/pot of gillnet gear to fish commercially in some areas of the Atlantic Ocean are required to paint or otherwise mark their gear with one or two color codes, designating the type of gear and area where the gear is set. The surface buoys of this gear need to be marked to identify the vessel or fishery. These marking requirements apply in the various management areas under the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP), developed under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The goal of this collection of information is to enable the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to reduce injuries and deaths of large whales, especially right whales, due to incidental entanglement in United States commercial fishing gear. In order to develop fair and effective management measures, the Take Reduction Team (Team) requires comprehensive data on when, where, and how fixed gear vessels fish, and where whales become entangled in fishing gear.

The latest form for Gear-Marking Requirements for Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan expires 2023-07-31 and can be found here.