CFR > Title 50 - Wildlife and Fisheries > CHAPTER VI—FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE > PART 648—FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES > SUBPART D—Management Measures for the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery (§648.50 to §648.63) > 648.61—EFH closed areas.

648.61—EFH closed areas.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, the following areas identified in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section are closed to scallop fishing to protect EFH from adverse effects of scallop fishing (copies of charts depicting these areas are available from the Regional Administrator upon request):
(a) Closed Area I EFH Closure. No vessel may fish for scallops in, or possess or land scallops from, the area known as the Closed Area I EFH Closure. No vessel may possess scallops in the Closed Area I EFH Closure, unless such vessel is only transiting the area as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. The Closed Area I EFH Closure consists of two sections, defined by straight lines connecting the points in the order stated in the following table:
Section 1
Point Latitude Longitude
CAIE1 41°30′ N. 69°23′ W.
CAIE2 41°30′ N. 68°35′ W.
CAIE3 41°08′ N. 69°4.2′ W.
CAIE4 41°30′ N. 69°23′ W.
Section 2
Point Latitude Longitude
CAIE5 41°04.5′ N. 69°1.2′ W.
CAIE6 41°09′ N. 68°30′ W.
CAIE7 40°45′ N. 68°30′ W.
CAIE8 40°45′ N. 68°45′ W.
CAIE5 41°04.5′ N. 69°1.2′ W.
(b) Closed Area II EFH Closure. No vessel may fish for scallops in, or possess or land scallops from, the area known as the Closed Area II EFH Closure. No vessel may possess scallops in the Closed Area II EFH Closure, unless such vessel is only transiting the area as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. The Closed Area II EFH Closure is defined by straight lines connecting the points in the order stated in the following table:
Point Latitude Longitude
CAIIE1 42°22′ N. 67°20′ W. 1
CAIIE2 41°30′ N. 66°34.8′ W. 1
CAIIE3 41°30′ N. 67°20′ W.
CAIIE1 42°22′ N. 67°20′ W. 1
1 The U.S/Canada Maritime Boundary
(c) Nantucket Lightship Closed Area EFH Closure. No vessel may fish for scallops in, or possess or land scallops from, the area known as the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area EFH Closure. No vessel may possess scallops in the Nantucket Lightship Closed Area EFH Closure, unless such vessel is only transiting the area as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. The Nantucket Lightship Closed Area EFH Closure is defined by straight lines connecting the points in the order stated in the following table:
Point Latitude Longitude
NLSE1 40°50′ N. 70°20′ W.
NLSE2 40°50′ N. 69°29.5′ W.
NLSE3 40°30′ N. 69°14.5′ W.
NLSE4 40°30′ N. 69°00′ W.
NLSE5 40°20′ N. 69°00′ W.
NLSE6 40°20′ N. 70°20′ W.
NLSE1 40°50′ N. 70°20′ W.
(d) Western Gulf of Maine EFH Closure. No vessel may fish for scallops in, or possess or land scallops from, the area known as the Western Gulf of Maine EFH Closure. No vessel may possess scallops in the Western Gulf of Maine EFH Closure, unless such vessel is only transiting the area as provided in paragraph (e) of this section. The Western Gulf of Maine EFH Closure is defined by straight lines connecting the points in the order stated in the following table:
Point Latitude Longitude
WGOM1 43°15′ N. 70°15′ W.
WGOM2 43°15′ N. 69°55′ W.
WGOM3 42°15′ N. 69°55′ W.
WGOM4 42°15′ N. 70°15′ W.
WGOM1 43°15′ N. 70°15′ W.
(e) Transiting. A vessel may transit the area(s) specified in paragraphs (a), (c), and (d) of this section, provided that its gear is stowed in accordance with the provisions of § 648.23(b). A vessel may transit the area specified in paragraph (b) of this section, in accordance with § 648.81(b)(2)(iv).
[70 FR 66798, Nov. 3, 2005]