(a)-(b) [Reserved]

(c) Spiny lobster—(1) Prohibition on harvest of egg-bearing spiny lobster. Egg-bearing spiny lobster in the EEZ around Puerto Rico must be returned to the water unharmed. An egg-bearing spiny lobster may be retained in a spiny lobster trap, provided the trap is returned immediately to the water. An egg-bearing spiny lobster may not be stripped, scraped, shaved, clipped, or in any other manner molested, in order to remove the eggs.

(2) Landing spiny lobster intact. (i) A spiny lobster in or from the EEZ around Puerto Rico must be maintained with head and carapace intact through offloading ashore.

(ii) The operator of a vessel that fishes in the EEZ around Puerto Rico is responsible for ensuring that spiny lobster on that vessel are maintained intact through offloading ashore, as specified in this section.