Section 622.477 - Prohibited gear and methodsAlso see § 622.9 for additional prohibited gear and methods that apply more broadly to multiple fisheries or in some cases all fisheries.
(a)Reef fish -(1)Poisons. A poison, drug, or other chemical may not be used to fish for reef fish in the EEZ around St. Croix.(2)Powerheads. A powerhead may not be used in the EEZ around St. Croix to harvest reef fish. The possession of a mutilated reef fish in or from the EEZ around St. Croix and a powerhead constitutes a rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph (a)(2).(3)Gillnets and trammel nets. A gillnet or trammel net may not be used in the EEZ around St. Croix to fish for reef fish. The possession of a reef fish in or from the EEZ around St. Croix and a gillnet or trammel net constitutes a rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph (a)(3). A gillnet or trammel net used in the EEZ around St. Croix to fish for any other species must be tended at all times.(c)Spiny lobster -(1)Spears and hooks. A spear, hook, or similar device may not be used in the EEZ around St. Croix to harvest a spiny lobster. The possession of a speared, pierced, or punctured spiny lobster in or from the EEZ around St. Croix constitutes a rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph (c)(1).(2)Gillnets and trammel nets. A gillnet or trammel net may not be used in the EEZ around St. Croix to fish for spiny lobster. The possession of a spiny lobster in or from the EEZ around St. Croix and a gillnet or trammel net constitutes a rebuttable presumption of a violation of this paragraph (c)(2). A gillnet or trammel net used in the EEZ around St. Croix to fish for any other species must be tended at all times.(e)Queen conch. In the EEZ around St. Croix, no person may harvest queen conch by diving while using a device that provides a continuous air supply from the surface.