Midwater Snap Gear – Modified Longline Gear Off California
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) recommended and the NMFS authorized a single Exempted Fishing Permit for testing a new gear – Modified Snap – in federal waters off California. The gear, a significantly modified longline, will fish 5 nautical miles of horizontal line, which is much shorter than traditional longlines. To help improve the survivability of bycatch species, the PFMC requires a four-hour maximum soak time, per set. TBF is not convinced the gear will actually fish cleaner.
The gear is comprised of connected sections of line, each ranging from 300 to 500 meters in length, that will be suspended in the water column by weighted buoy lines, ranging from 25 to 75 meters long. Between 5 to 15 circle hooks, size 18/0, will be deployed from each section, attached to the mainline by 2 millimeter monofilament snap line of approximately 12 meters in length.
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