(a)-(b) [Reserved]

(c) Spiny lobster—(1) Prohibition on harvest of egg-bearing spiny lobster. Egg-bearing spiny lobster in the EEZ around St. Thomas and St. John 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 St. Thomas and St. John must be maintained with head and carapace intact through offloading ashore.

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