OAR 635-005-0485: Dungeness Crab Gear Prohibitions

It is unlawful for commercial purposes to: (1) Place, operate, or leave Dungeness crab gear in the Pacific Ocean, Columbia River or in any bay or estuary during the closed season, except that in only the Pacific Ocean and Columbia River, Dungeness crab gear may be placed no more than 73 hours immediately prior to the date the Dungeness crab season opens. (2) Have Dungeness crab gear deployed in the Pacific Ocean or Columbia River more than 14 days without making a landing of Dungeness crab. (3) Remove, damage, or otherwise tamper with crab buoy, pot or ring tags except: (a) When lawfully applying or removing tags on the vessel's buoys, pots or rings; or (b) When lawfully removing tags on crab gear retrieved under a Post-Season Derelict Gear Permit pursuant to OAR 635-005-0491 and after the gear has been registered by state officials. (4) Attach one crab pot or ring to another crab pot or ring by a common groundline or any other means that connects Dungeness crab gear together. (5) Take crabs for commercial purposes by crab pots from any bay or estuary except the Columbia River. (6) Take or fish for Dungeness crab for commercial purposes in the Columbia River or Pacific Ocean adjacent to the state of Oregon unless a Dungeness crab gear allocation has been issued to the permit required under OAR 635-005-0405(5). (7) Deploy or fish more Dungeness crab gear than the number of pots and rings in aggregate assigned by the Dungeness Crab Pot Allocation Certificate or to use any vessel other than the vessel designated on the Dungeness Crab Pot Allocation Certificate, except to set gear as allowed under OAR 635-005-0405. (8) Use Dungeness crab gear with more line than is reasonably necessary to compensate for tides, currents, and weather. (9) Use more surface gear than the following: (a) One main buoy, meaning the buoy closest to the crab pot or ring; (b) Two trailer buoys; (c) A distance greater than 36 feet between the front end of the main buoy to the front end of the last trailer buoy. End marker buoys are not considered trailer buoys; and (d) One end marker buoy which shall not: (A) Extend more than three feet in length behind the last trailer buoy; or (B) Be larger than five inches in diameter.