New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules
Fis - Executive Director, Fish and Game Department
Chapter Fis 600 - MARINE FISHING RULES
Part Fis 602 - PROHIBITED MARINE ACTIVITIES
Section Fis 602.16 - Lobster Trap Tags

Universal Citation: NH Admin Rules Fis 602.16

Current through Register No. 40, October 3, 2024

(a) No person licensed in accordance with RSA 211:18 shall fish with, raise, or possess on board a vessel or submerged within the waters under the jurisdiction of this state, a lobster trap without a valid lobster trap tag affixed to the trap and issued to said person except:

(1) Helpers licensed in accordance with RSA 211:20; or

(2) A surrogate lobster licensee in the case of a temporary physical disability as specified in Fis 602.14 who may fish with, raise, or possess lobster traps with lobster tags not issued specifically to them.

(b) Any person licensed under RSA 211:18 who possesses on board a vessel any trap which is capable of taking lobsters shall be presumed to be in possession of a lobster trap.

(c) A lobster trap tag shall be:

(1) Securely attached to the frame of the lobster trap, in a manner for which it was designed such as a self-locking mechanism;

(2) Legible and clearly visible for inspection; and

(3) Not be altered or defaced.

(d) Lobster trap tags shall be valid for only one year beginning on June 1 and ending on May 31 of the following calendar year.

(e) Lobster trap tags shall be purchased directly from a vendor established by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC).

(f) The fish and game department shall supply the vendor with:

(1) The licensee's name and mailing address;

(2) Whether the licensee is fishing in federal and/or state waters; and

(3) The number of tags the licensee may purchase.

(g) A person licensed pursuant to RSA 211:18 may purchase from the vendor:

(1) Up to 1200 lobster trap tags for a commercial license plus additional lobster trap tags of 10% of the trap limit allowed in accordance with Fis 602.13 to cover routine trap losses;

(2) Up to 600 tags for a limited commercial license plus additional lobster trap tags of 10% of the trap limit allowed in accordance with Fis 602.13 to cover routine trap losses;

(3) Up to 100 tags for a part-time commercial license plus additional lobster trap tags of 10% of the trap limit allowed in accordance with Fis 602.13 to cover routine trap losses; and

(4) Up to 5 tags for a recreational license plus an additional 2 to cover routine trap losses.

(h) No person shall fish more than the number of traps allowed in accordance with RSA 211:18 and Fis 602.13.

(i) Replacement tags shall be available to a lobster licensee by exchanging trap tags with the fish and game department on a one-for-one basis to allow for the necessary rotation and maintenance of lobster traps.

(j) In the case of catastrophic tags losses, which exceed the additional number of tags that can be purchased to cover routine trap losses specified in (g), an entirely new allotment of replacement trap tags shall be issued. The original tags shall not be valid following the issuance of replacement tags.

(k) Trap tags shall be issued to valid licensed lobster harvesters based on approved ASMFC Lobster Fishery Management Plan amendments and addenda.

(l) No more than two trap tags shall be affixed to a lobster trap at any given time.

#7214, eff 6-1-00; amd by #8819, EXEMPT, eff 2-1-07; ss by #9286, EXEMPT, eff 9-29-08; ss by #10460, EXEMPT, eff 1-1-14

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