Approved Models and Equipment for Careful Release of Sea Turtles Caught in Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish Fishery and South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery
May 21, 2019
Information to help fishermen comply with sea turtle release requirements contained in regulations published in the Federal Register [84 FR 22383] on May 17, 2019 for the Gulf of Mexico, and [84 FR 67236] on December 9, 2019 for the South Atlantic.
| Required Item | Examples of Approved Models | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| These Items Required for Any Vessel with a Freeboard Height Greater than 4ft | Long-Handled Line Cutter (6ft. or 150 percent of freeboard height) | ARC NOAA/LaForce Line Cutter; NOAA/Arceneaux Line Clipper | |||
| Long-Handled Dehooker for Internal Hooks* (6 ft. (1.83 m) or 150 percent of freeboard height) | ARC 6ft. pole big game (pigtail) dehooker; ARC 8ft. pole breakdown big game (pigtail) dehooker; ARC 12ft. pole breakdown big game (pigtail) dehooker; long-handled NOAA/chain-link dehooker | ||||
| Long-handled Dehooker for External Hooks (minimum length equal to the freeboard of the vessel or 6ft. (1.83m), whichever is greater). | ARC 6ft. pole big game (pigtail) dehooker; ARC 8ft. pole breakdown big game (pigtail) dehooker; ARC 12ft. pole breakdown big game (pigtail) dehooker; long-handled NOAA/cylinder dehooker; long-handled NOAA/chain-link dehooker; long-handled J-style dehooker | ||||
| Long-Handled Device to pull an ‘‘Inverted V’’ (minimum length equal to the freeboard of the vessel or 6ft. (1.83m), whichever is greater). | Davis telescoping boat hook Model 85002A; West Marine Model F6H5 hook and F6-006 handle; any long-handled boat hook, gaff, or J-style dehooker | ||||
| These Items Required for Any Vessel with a Freeboard Height of 4ft or Less | Dipnet, Hoopnet, or Hoist (handle length must be 6ft. (1.83 m) or 150 percent of freeboard height) | Any dipnet, hoopnet, or hoist that meets design standards stated in federal regulations | |||
| Cushion or Support Device | Any standard automobile tire or other comparable, cushioned, elevated surface such as a boat cushion or coil of rope that allows boated turtles to be immobilized | ||||
| Short-Handled Dehooker for Internal Hooks* | ARC 17in. bite block deep hooked turtle pigtail dehooker; NOAA chain-link 17” dehooker | ||||
| Short-Handled Dehooker for External Hooks | ARC short-handled J-style dehooker; short-handled NOAA/Cylinder dehooker; ARC 24 in. handheld “game” model dehooker; Hookout squeeze handle dehooker; Angler Tech Hook Extractor; Baker Hookout; ARC 17 in. bite block deep hooked turtle pigtail dehooker; NOAA chain-link 17” dehooker; Scotty’s dehooker | ||||
| Long-Nose or Needle-Nose Pliers | Boone 11.5 in. pliers; Pittsburgh 11 in. long-reach needle nose pliers; Pittsburgh 2 pc. 16 in. long-reach pliers set; Pittsburg 11 in. 90 degree long-reach pliers; Pittsburgh 11 in. long-reach 45 degree offset needle nose pliers; Pittsburgh 15 in. long nose locking pliers | ||||
| Bolt Cutter | H.K. Porter Model 1490 AC | ||||
| Monofilament Line Cutter | Jinkai Model MC-T mono cutter; Jinkai Model MC-A mono cutter; Momoi Anvils mono cutter; Momoi serrated mono cutter; Momoi scissor style mono cutter; Fiskars multi-purpose mono cutter | ||||
| Choose At Least Two Different Types of Mouth Openers and Mouth Gags | Block of Hard Wood | Any block of hard wood or long-handled wire brush with bristles removed meeting standards in federal regulations; (Olympia Tools Model 974174) | |||
| Set of (3) Canine Mouth Gags | Jorvet Model J0051A, J0051B, and J0051C | ||||
| Set of (2) Sturdy Dog Chew Bones | Nylabone©, Gumabone©, or Galileo© (trademarks owned by T. F. H. Publications, Inc.) meeting standards in federal regulations. | ||||
| Set of (2) Rope Loops Covered with Hose | Any set of (2) rope loops covered with hose meeting design standards in federal regulations | ||||
| Hank of Rope | Any size soft braided nylon rope is acceptable, provided it creates a hank of rope approximately 2–4in. thickness | ||||
| Set of (4) PVC Splice Couplings | A set of (4) Standard Schedule 40 PVC splice couplings (1in., 1.25in., 1.5in., and 2in.) | ||||
| Large Avian Oral Speculum | Avian oral speculum set from Veterinary Specialty Products (Model VSP 216–08); Jorvet (Model J–51z); Jorvet large avian oral speculum set;Krusse (Model 273117); Krusse large avian oral speculum set; Large macaw model J0051Z from Patterson Veterinary; Patterson Veterinary large avian oral speculum set | ||||
*Only one dehooker is required onboard if the approved dehooker is designed to remove internal hooks. This device is also approved to remove external hooks.
Disclaimer: All sea turtle release gear must meet the specific requirements in Appendix F to Part 622. Check Federal Register notices and applicable regulations as the final authority for required tools and specifications in the Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish fishery and South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Fishery. NOAA Fisheries does not approve, recommend or endorse any proprietary product or material mentioned in this table. No reference shall be made to NOAA Fisheries, or to any publication furnished by NOAA Fisheries, in any advertising or sales promotion which would indicate or imply that NOAA Fisheries approves, recommends or endorses any proprietary product or material herein or which has as its purpose any intent to cause or indirectly cause the advertised product to be used or purchased because of NOAA Fisheries publication.