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(a) A limited access scallop vessel may only fish in the Sea Scallop Access Areas specified in § 648.59, subject to the seasonal restrictions specified in § 648.59, when fishing under a scallop DAS, provided the vessel complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs (a)(1) through (a)(9), and (b) through (f) of this section. An LAGC scallop vessel may fish in the Sea Scallop Access Areas specified in § 648.59, subject to the seasonal restrictions specified in § 648.59, provided the vessel complies with the requirements specified in paragraph (g) of this section.

(1) VMS. Each vessel participating in the Sea Scallop Access Area Program must have installed on board an operational VMS unit that meets the minimum performance criteria specified in §§ 648.9 and 648.10, and paragraph (e) of this section.

(2) Vessels participating in the Sea Scallop Access Area Program must comply with the trip declaration requirements specified in § 648.10(f) and vessel notification requirements specified in § 648.11(g) for observer deployment.

(3) Number of Sea Scallop Access Area trips— (i) Limited access vessel trips. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, paragraphs (a)(3)(i)(B) through (E) of this section specify the total number of trips that a limited access scallop vessel may take into Sea Scallop Access Areas during applicable seasons specified in § 648.59. The number of trips per vessel in any one Sea Scallop Access Area may not exceed the maximum number of trips allocated for such Sea Scallop Access Area as specified in § 648.59, unless the vessel owner has exchanged a trip with another vessel owner for an additional Sea Scallop Access Area trip, as specified in paragraph (a)(3)(ii) of this section, or has been allocated a compensation trip pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.

(B) Full-time scallop vessels. A full-time scallop vessel may take two trips in the Elephant Trunk Access Area, one trip in the Delmarva access area, and one trip in the Nantucket Lightship Access Area, subject to the following seasonal trip restrictions.

(1) A full-time scallop vessel may not take more than two of its three allocated scallop access area trips during the period June 15 through August 31, or may not fish for, possess, or retain more than a combined total of 36,000 lb (16,329 kg) of scallops, the equivalent of two full trip possession limits specified in § 648.60(a)(5)(i)(A), during this time period from the Delmarva and Elephant Trunk Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) and (e). For example, a full-time vessel may declare up to two trips in the Elephant Trunk Access Area or up to one trip in the Elephant Trunk Access Area and one trip in Delmarva Access Area during June 15 through August 31. The remaining access area trips may be taken during the remainder of the fishing year, subject to the seasonal closures described under § 648.59(a)(3) and (e)(3). This restriction does not include the additional possession allowance to defray the cost of carrying an observer as specified in § 648.60(d) that occur during observed trips between June 15 through August 31.

(2) [Reserved]

(C) Part-time scallop vessels. A part-time scallop vessel is allocated two trips that may be distributed between access areas as follows: Two trips in the Elephant Trunk Access Area; one trip in the Elephant Trunk Access Area and one trip in the Nantucket Lightship Access Area; one trip in the Elephant Trunk Access Area and one trip in the Delmarva Access Area; or one trip in the Nantucket Lightship Access Area and one trip in the Delmarva Access Area.

(4) Area fished. While on a Sea Scallop Access Area trip, a vessel may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from areas outside the Sea Scallop Access Area in which the vessel operator has declared the vessel will fish during that trip, and may not enter or exit the specific declared Sea Scallop Access Area more than once per trip. A vessel on a Sea Scallop Access Area trip may not enter or be in another Sea Scallop Access Area on the same trip except such vessel may transit another Sea Scallop Access Area provided its gear is stowed in accordance with § 648.23(b).

(i) Reallocation of trips into open areas. If the yellowtail flounder TAC allocated for a Scallop Access Area specified in § 648.59(b) through (d) has been harvested and such area has been closed, a vessel with trips remaining to be taken in such Access Areas may fish the remaining DAS associated with the unused trip(s) in Open Areas, up to the maximum DAS specified in § 648.53(b)(4)(i) through (iii).

(ii) [Reserved]

(5) Possession and landing limits— (i) Scallop possession limits. Unless authorized by the Regional Administrator, as specified in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, after declaring a trip into a Sea Scallop Access Area, a vessel owner or operator of a limited access scallop vessel may fish for, possess, and land, per trip, scallops, up to the maximum amounts specified in the table in this paragraph (a)(5). A part-time or occassional limited access vessel that lawfully fishes for, possesses, and lands an amount of scallops greater than specified in this section in the 2010 fishing year shall have the excess pounds landed above the possession limit specified in this paragraph (a)(5) deducted from that vessel's 2011 possession limit. A full-time vessel shall not fish for, possess, or retain more than 36,000 lb (16,329 kg) of scallops from the Elephant Trunk and Delmarva Access Areas, combined, from trips taken between June 15 and August 31. This landing restriction does not include the additional possession allowance to defray the cost of carrying an observer as specified in § 648.60(d) that occur during observed trips between June 15 through August 31. No vessel declared into the Access Areas as described in § 648.59(a) through (e) may possess more than 50 bu (17.62 hL) of in-shell scallops outside of the Access Areas described in § 648.59(a) through (e).

(ii) NE multispecies possession limits and yellowtail flounder TACs. A limited access scallop vessel that is declared into a trip and fishing within the Sea Scallop Access Areas described in § 648.59(b) through (d), and issued a valid NE multispecies permit as specified in § 648.4(a)(1), may fish for, possess, and land, per trip, up to a maximum of 1,000 lb (453.6 kg) of all NE multispecies combined, excluding yellowtail flounder, subject to the minimum commercial fish size restrictions specified in § 648.83(a)(1), and the additional restrictions for Atlantic cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder specified in paragraphs (a)(5)(ii)(A) through (C) of this section. Such vessel is subject to the seasonal restriction established under the Sea Scallop Area Access Program and specified in § 648.59(b)(4), (c)(4), and (d)(4).

(A) Atlantic cod. Such vessel may bring onboard and possess only up to 100 lb (45.4 kg) of Atlantic cod per trip, provided such fish is intended for personal use only and cannot be not sold, traded, or bartered.

(C) Yellowtail flounder. Such vessel must retain all yellowtail flounder that meet the minimum size restrictions specified under § 648.83(a)(1).

(1) Scallop Access Area TAC Availability. After declaring a trip into and fishing within the Closed Area I, Closed Area II, or Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Areas described in § 648.59(b), (c), and (d), respectively, a scallop vessel that has a valid NE multispecies permit, as specified in § 648.4(a)(1), may possess and land yellowtail flounder, provided the Regional Administrator has not issued a notice that the scallop fishery portion of the TACs specified in § 648.85(c) for the respective Closed Area I, Closed Area II, or Nantucket Lightship Scallop Access Areas have been harvested. The Regional Administrator shall publish notification in the Federal Register, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, to notify scallop vessel owners that the scallop fishery portions of the TAC for a yellowtail flounder stock has been or is projected to be harvested by scallop vessels in any Access Area. Upon notification in the Federal Register that a TAC has been or is projected to be harvested, scallop vessels are prohibited from fishing in, and declaring and initiating a trip to the Access Area(s), where the TAC applies, for the remainder of the fishing year, unless the yellowtail flounder TAC is increased, as specified in paragraph (a)(5)(ii)(C)(3) of this section.

(2) U.S./Canada Area TAC availability. After declaring a trip into and fishing in the Closed Area I or Closed Area II Access Area described in § 648.59(b) and (c), a scallop vessel that has a valid NE multispecies permit, as specified in § 648.4(a)(1), may possess and land yellowtail flounder, provided that the Regional Administrator has not issued a notice that the U.S./Canada yellowtail flounder TAC specified in § 648.85(a)(2) has been harvested. If the yellowtail flounder TAC established for the U.S./Canada Management Area pursuant to § 648.85(a)(2) has been or is projected to be harvested, as described in § 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(C) (3 ), scallop vessels are prohibited from possessing or landing yellowtail flounder in or from the Closed Area I and Closed Area II Access Areas.

(3) Modification to yellowtail flounder TACs. The yellowtail flounder TACs allocated to scallop vessels may be increased by the Regional Administrator after December 1 of each year pursuant to § 648.85(c)(2).

(iii) NE multispecies possession limits and yellowtail flounder TAC. Subject to the seasonal restriction established under the Sea Scallop Area Access Program and specified in § 648.59(b)(4), (c)(4), and (d)(4), and provided the vessel has been issued a scallop multispecies possession limit permit as specified in § 648.4(a)(1)(ii), after declaring a trip into a Sea Scallop Access Area and fishing within the Access Areas described in § 648.59(b) through (d), a vessel owner or operator of a limited access scallop vessel may fish for, possess, and land, per trip, up to a maximum of 1,000 lb (453. 6 kg) of all NE multispecies combined, subject to the minimum commercial fish size restrictions specified in § 648.83(a)(3), and the additional restrictions for Atlantic cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder specified in paragraphs (a)(5)(iii)(A) through (C) of this section.

(iv) [Reserved]

(6) Gear restrictions. (i) The minimum ring size for dredge gear used by a vessel fishing on a Sea Scallop Access Area trip is 4 inches (10.2 cm) in diameter. Dredge or trawl gear used by a vessel fishing on a Sea Scallop Access Area trip must be in accordance with the restrictions specified in § 648.51(a) and (b).

(ii) Vessels fishing in the Closed Area I, Closed Area II, and Nantucket Lightship Closed Area Sea Scallop Access Areas described in § 648.59(b) through (d) are prohibited from fishing with trawl gear as specified in § 648.51(f)(1).

(7) Transiting. While outside a Sea Scallop Access Area on a Sea Scallop Access Area trip, the vessel must have all fishing gear stowed in accordance with § 648.23(b), unless there is a compelling safety reason to be transiting the area without gear stowed.

(8) Off-loading restrictions. The vessel may not offload its catch from a Sea Scallop Access Area trip at more than one location per trip.

(A) Pursuant to § 648.60(a)(3)(i)(B) (1 ), a full-time vessel may not take a compensation trip based on a single or multiple terminated trip(s) during the period June 15 through August 31 if the compensation trip would allow a vessel to land more than 36,000 lb (16,329 kg), the equivalent of two full access area trips, during the period June 15 through August 31, in the Elephant Trunk Access Area and Delmarva Access Area combined. For example, a vessel that terminated a trip in the Delmarva Access Area on June 1, 2010, and intends to declare two full trips in the Elephant Trunk Access Area access area from June 15 through August 31, must wait to fish its compensation trip in the Delmarva Access Area until November 1, 2010.

(B) [Reserved]

(3) Yellowtail flounder research TAC set-aside. Vessels conducting research approved under the process described in § 648.56, and in the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(b) through (d) may harvest cumulative yellowtail flounder up to a total amount that equals 0.2 percent of the yellowtail flounder TACs established annually, according to the specification procedure described in § 648.85(a)(2), and subject to the possession limits specified in paragraph (a)(5)(ii)(C) of this section. Once 0.2 percent of the yellowtail flounder TACs established according to the specification procedure described in § 648.85(a)(2) has been harvested by research vessels, research may no longer be authorized in the applicable Access Area.

(f) VMS polling. For the duration of the Sea Scallop Area Access Program, as described in this section, all sea scallop vessels equipped with a VMS unit shall be polled at a minimum of twice per hour, regardless of whether the vessel is enrolled in the Sea Scallop Area Access Program. Vessel owners shall be responsible for paying the costs of polling twice per hour.

(g) Limited Access General Category Vessels. (1) An LAGC scallop vessel may only fish in the scallop access areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e), subject to the seasonal restrictions specified in § 648.59(a)(4), (b)(4), (c)(4), (d)(4), and (e)(3), and subject to the possession limit specified in § 648.52(a), and provided the vessel complies with the requirements specified in paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(6) through (a)(9), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this section, and § 648.85(c)(3)(ii). A vessel issued both a NE multispecies permit and an LAGC scallop permit may fish in an approved SAP under § 648.85 and under multispecies DAS in the Closed Area I, Closed Area II, and Nantucket Lightship Sea Scallop Access Areas specified in § 648.59(b) through (d), provided the vessel complies with the requirements specified in § 648.59(b)(5)(ii), (c)(5)(ii), and (d)(5)(ii), and this paragraph (g), but may not fish for, possess, or land scallops on such trips.

(2) Gear restrictions. An LAGC IFQ scallop vessel authorized to fish in the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e) must fish with dredge gear only. The combined dredge width in use by, or in possession on board of, an LAGC scallop vessel fishing in the Access Areas described in § 648.59(a) through (e) may not exceed 10.5 ft (3.2 m), measured at the widest point in the bail of the dredge.

(3) LAGC IFQ Access Area Trips. An LAGC scallop vessel authorized to fish in the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e) may land scallops, subject to the possession limit specified in § 648.52(a), unless the Regional Administrator has issued a notice that the number of LAGC IFQ access area trips specified in § 648.59(a)(3)(ii), (b)(5)(ii), (c)(5)(ii), (d)(5)(ii), and (e)(4)(ii) have been or are projected to be taken. Upon a determination from the Regional Administrator that the total number of LAGC IFQ trips in a specified Access Area have been or are projected to be taken, the Regional Administrator shall publish notification of this determination in the Federal Register, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. Once this determination has been made, an LAGC IFQ scallop vessel may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the specified Access Area after the effective date of the notification published in the Federal Register.

(4) Possession Limits— (i) Scallops. A vessel issued a NE multispecies permit and a general category scallop permit that is fishing in an approved SAP under § 648.85 under multispecies DAS, and that has not enrolled in the LAGC Access Area fishery, is prohibited from possessing scallops. An LAGC scallop vessel authorized to fish in the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e) may possess scallops up to the possession limit specified in § 648.52(a).

(ii) Other species. Unless issued an LAGC scallop permit and fishing under an approved NE multispecies SAP under NE multispecies DAS, an LAGC IFQ vessel fishing in the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e) is prohibited from possessing any species of fish other than scallops and monkfish, as specified in § 648.94(c)(8).

(5) Number of trips. An LAGC IFQ scallop vessel may not fish for, possess, or land scallops in or from the Access Areas specified in § 648.59(a) through (e) after the effective date of the notification published in the Federal Register, stating that the total number of trips specified in § 648.59(a)(3)(ii), (b)(5)(ii), (c)(5)(ii), (d)(5)(ii), and (e)(4)(ii) have been, or are projected to be, taken by LAGC IFQ scallop vessels.