§ 13.1174 - Whale water restrictions.

§ 13.1174 Whale water restrictions.

(a) May 15 through September 30, the following waters are designated as whale waters.

(1) Waters north of a line drawn from Point Carolus to Point Gustavus; and south of a line drawn from the northernmost point of Lars Island across the northernmost point of Strawberry Island to the point where it intersects the line that defines the Beardslee Island group, as described in § 13.1180(a)(4), and following that line south and west to the Bartlett Cove shore (so as to include the Beardslee Entrance and Bartlett Cove); and

(2) Other waters designated by the superintendent as temporary whale waters.

(b) The public will be notified of other waters designated as temporary whale waters in accordance with § 1.7 of this chapter.

(c) Violation of a whale water restriction is prohibited. The following restrictions apply in whale waters unless otherwise provided by the superintendent in the designation:

(1) Operating a motor vessel less than one nautical mile from shore (where the width of the water permits), or in narrower areas navigating outside of mid-channel is prohibited. This restriction does not apply to motor vessels less than 18 feet in length, or vessels actively engaged in fishing activities or operating solely under sail.

(2) Unless other restrictions apply, operators may perpendicularly approach or land on shore (i.e., by the most direct line to shore) through designated whale waters, but they may not transit along the shore.

(3) Operators must follow motor vessel speed limits in § 13.1176(a).