Night setting with minimum deck lighting

No setting between nautical dawn and nautical dusk. Deck lighting to be kept to a minimum

Nautical dusk and nautical dawn are defined as set out in the Nautical Almanac tables for relevant latitude, local time and date. Minimum deck lighting should not breach minimum standards for safety and navigation.

Bird-scaring lines (tori lines)

Bird-scaring lines shall be deployed during longline setting to deter birds from approaching the branch line

For vessels greater than or equal to 35 m:

• deploy at least 1 bird-scaring line. Where practical, vessels are encouraged to use a second tori pole and bird scaring line at times of high bird abundance or activity; both tori lines should be deployed simultaneously, one on each side of the line being set;

• aerial extent of bird-scaring lines must be greater than or equal to 100 m;

• long streamers of sufficient length to reach the sea surface in calm conditions must be used;

• long streamers must be at intervals of no more than 5 m.

For vessels less than 35 m:

• deploy at least 1 bird-scaring line;

• aerial extent must be greater than or equal to 75 m;

• long and/or short (but greater than 1 m in length) streamers must be used and placed at intervals as follows:

  • Short: intervals of no more than 2 m.

  • Long: intervals of no more than 5 m for the first 55 m of bird scaring line.

Additional design and deployment guidelines for bird-scaring lines are provided in Supplemental Guidelines for Design and Deployment of tori lines below.

Line weighting

Line weights to be deployed on the snood prior to setting

Greater than a total of 45 g attached within 1 m of the hook; or

Greater than a total of 60 g attached within 3,5 m of the hook; or

Greater than a total of 98 g weight attached within 4 m of the hook.