<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".05" citation="COMAR 08.02.15.05" title_num="08" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="15" heading="Disposition of Catch.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Permits and Tags.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Prior to the start of a striped bass season, the Department shall provide tamper-evident locking tags to each commercial tidal fish licensee who is authorized to participate in a commercial striped bass fishery.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>A commercial tidal fish licensee who catches striped bass for sale shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Have in possession:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>A commercial tidal fish license;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>A striped bass permit; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Unused tamper-evident tags issued by the Department to the licensee or received by the licensee through a transfer;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>In the Atlantic fishery, securely affix a tag issued by the Department to the licensee, as provided in §A(1) of this regulation, or a tag received through a transfer, through the mouth and one gill opening:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Immediately to a striped bass harvested by hook and line;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Within 200 yards of the pound net to a striped bass harvested from a pound net; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Before removing a striped bass from a boat or removing a boat from the water, to a striped bass harvested by any other gear;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>In the Chesapeake Bay individual transferable quota fishery, securely affix a tag issued by the Department to the licensee, as provided in §A(1) of this regulation, or a tag received through a transfer, through the mouth and one gill opening before removing a striped bass from a boat or removing a boat from the water; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Except as required by Regulation .04F and G of this chapter, return the assigned striped bass permit or permits and any unused tags to the Department within 14 days immediately following the end of the quota year.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Striped bass tags:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>May not be reused, defaced, modified, or counterfeited;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Shall reflect the commercial fishery in which the striped bass were harvested;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Shall be securely affixed to a whole striped bass or accompany fillets until sale to the final consumer;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Shall only be used by the commercial tidal fish licensee to whom they were assigned, except as described in §A(3)(e) of this regulation; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Shall be transferred to the recipient of any allocation or shares in a transfer as described in COMAR 08.02.15.04.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>The Department may not provide replacement tags for tags that are lost.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>A commercial tidal fish licensee registered in the Chesapeake Bay individual transferable quota or Atlantic fisheries shall receive a fixed number of tags.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Only striped bass tags issued by the Department may be on board a vessel while engaged in fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>A striped bass permit and striped bass tags for only one commercial fishery may be on board a vessel at any one time.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>A packer or dealer may only be in possession of striped bass tagged in accordance with §A(3) of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Importation.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Striped bass legally harvested in another state may be possessed, transported, processed, sold, offered for sale, or shipped in Maryland.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Commercially harvested whole striped bass, imported to Maryland, shall be:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Accompanied by proof of origin which details numbers and total weight of striped bass for each container; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Individually tagged with a tamper-evident sealed tag which:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Is made of plastic, nylon, or metal,</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>Indicates state of origin, and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>Is securely affixed through the mouth and one gill opening.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Striped bass fillets are not subject to tagging requirements if the fillets are imported to Maryland and in a marked container as specified in §B(2)(a) of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Check Stations. The Secretary shall:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Designate check stations throughout the State;</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Provide a commercial tidal fish licensee with a list of check stations; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Make available, to a check station, forms required under these regulations.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Check-In.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>Time Requirements — Atlantic Fishery.  Within 3 hours of completing a fishing trip and returning to dock, and not later than 9 p.m. on the day of harvest, a commercial tidal fish licensee registered in the Atlantic fishery shall have their striped bass harvest counted and weighed by a Department representative at a check station.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Time Requirements  Chesapeake Bay Individual Transferable Quota Fishery. A commercial tidal fish licensee registered in the Chesapeake Bay individual transferable quota fishery shall have their striped bass counted and weighed by a Department representative at a check station not later than 9 a.m. on the day immediately following harvest.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>At check-in time a person shall present his or her commercial tidal fish license and striped bass permit to the Department representative at the check station.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>At check-in, the Department representative shall:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Specify numbers and weight of fish, date checked, and commercial tidal fish license number on the daily logsheet issued by the Department, and striped bass permit;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Complete a daily logsheet issued by the Department, mail a copy to the Department by Tuesday of the following week, and maintain a copy;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Record the number of pounds checked in on the licensee's striped bass permit; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Adjust the remaining annual allocation by subtracting the total daily harvest.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>