50 CFR § 648.203 - Gear restrictions.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t50/s648.203"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "50 CFR § 648.203 - Gear restrictions."
title_number: 50
title_name: "Wildlife and Fisheries"
section_number: "648.203"
section_name: "Gear restrictions."
chapter_name: "FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE"
part_number: "648"
part_name: "FISHERIES OF THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "16 U.S.C. 1801"
regulatory_source: "61 FR 34968, July 3, 1996, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "648"
---
# 648.203 Gear restrictions.
(a) Midwater trawl gear may only be used by a vessel issued a valid herring permit in the GOM/GB Exemption Area as defined in § 648.80(a)(17), provided it complies with the midwater trawl gear exemption requirements specified under the NE multispecies regulations at § 648.80(d), including issuance of a Letter of Authorization.
(b) Purse seine gear may only be used by a vessel issued a valid herring permit in the GOM/GB Exemption Area as defined in § 648.80(a)(17), provided it complies with the purse seine exemption requirements specified under the NE multispecies requirements at § 648.80(e), including issuance of a Letter of Authorization.
[72 FR 11277, Mar. 12, 2007, as amended at 83 FR 15275, Apr. 9, 2018]