OAR 635-005-0630: Fishing Gear — Pink Shrimp Fishery

(1) It is unlawful to take pink shrimp for commercial purposes by any means other than trawl net or pots. (2) It is unlawful to fish with trawl gear for pink shrimp for commercial purposes unless an approved rigid-grate bycatch reduction device is used in each net. A rigid-grate bycatch reduction device uses a rigid panel of narrowly spaced bars to guide fish out of an escape hole in front of the panel, generally in the top of the net. The panel may be hinged to facilitate rolling over a net reel. An approved rigid-grate bycatch reduction device must meet the following criteria: (a) The exterior circumference of the rigid panel must fit completely within the interior circumference of the trawl net, such that there is no space between the panel and the net that will allow a 110 mm sphere to pass beyond the panel, into the terminal area of the codend; (b) None of the openings between the bars in the rigid panel may exceed 0.75 inches. (c) The escape hole must, when spread open, expose a hole of at least 100 square inches; and (d) The escape hole must be forward of the rigid panel and must begin within four meshes of the furthest aft point of attachment of the rigid panel to the net. (3) It is unlawful to fish with trawl gear for pink shrimp for commercial purposes unless footrope lighting devices that have been approved by the Department are used in each net. A list of approved footrope lighting devices is available from the Department. Footrope lighting devices must meet the following criteria: (a) Lighting devices must be operational; (b) Lighting devices must be securely attached within 6 inches of the forward leading edge of the bottom panel of trawl netting; and (c) Each trawl net must have a minimum of five lighting devices, spaced 4 feet apart in the central 16 feet of each net. (4) All bycatch reduction devices, codends, and footrope lighting devices used for trawl fishing for pink shrimp must be readily accessible and made available for inspection at the request of an authorized agent of the state. No trawl gear may be removed from the vessel prior to offloading of shrimp. (5) It is unlawful to modify bycatch reduction devices or footrope lighting devices in any way that interferes with their ability to allow fish to escape from the trawl. [Publications: Publications referenced are available from the agency.]