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Evolution of Each Saltwater Regulation

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MARINE FISHERIES
APPROVED RULES SUMMARY

Prepared by Lee Schlesinger
Revised October 2, 2009

The following is an alphabetical summary of all the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) and subsequently, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), rules that have been adopted since the MFC's inception in 1983 and the FWC's creation in 1999.  Many of these rules have been amended or modified numerous times.  Therefore, note effective dates for the most recent action.  The full text of all marine fisheries rules are listed in Chapter 68B of the Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). 

This is only a summary of rules promulgated by the MFC or the FWC.  Other saltwater fishing laws are referenced in Chapter 370, Florida Statutes, in various legislative special acts and local laws, and portions of Chapter 68, F.A.C.

NOTE: MFC rules appeared in Chapter 46 of the F.A.C.; all of these rules have been renumbered and are now published in Chapter 68B of the F.A.C. - references to Chapter 46, which appear throughout this listing, indicate the denotation at the time of the rule's effective date.

AMBERJACK, CH 46-40, F.A.C. (see REEF FISH)

AQUACULTURE RULE PROVISIONS: TITLE 46, F.A.C. RULE REPEALS, (Effective November 27, 1996)

Deletes obsolete aquaculture provisions for hard clams, spiny lobster, and oysters.

BAITFISH TRAWL FISHERIES, CH 46-50, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1996)

• Allows the use of baitfish trawls only seaward of the Colregs Demarcation Line in state waters of Escambia County through Wakulla County approximately south of St. Marks from April 1 through November 15 each year for a two year period, ending November 15, 1998
• Defines a baitfish trawl as a net in the form of an elongated bag with the mouth kept open by various means and buoyed by floats so that it is fished and towed at or along the surface of the water and never on the bottom
• Allows the use of baitfish trawls for the directed harvest of menhaden, round and Atlantic thread herrings, scaled, Spanish, and orangespot sardines, anchovies, round scad, chub mackerel, blue runner, and ladyfish only - a ten percent (by weight) bycatch allowance for nontargeted species harvested in baitfish trawls is also allowed
• Allows baitfish trawls to be towed for no more than 30 minutes
• Allows the use of no more than two baitfish trawls, each with a mesh area not greater than 500 square feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet, to be fished or deployed from any vessel where allowed in all waters of the region
• Prohibits the use of baitfish trawls with a mesh size less than 1 1/4 inches stretched mesh in the cod (tail) end, and prohibits the use of any liner or insert with a smaller mesh in the cod end

BAITFISH TRAWL FISHERIES - TARP PURSE SEINE PILOT PROGRAM: BAITFISH SEASON HARVEST LIMITS, CH 46-50, F.A.C. (Effective November 12, 1997)

This rule sets the following total annual (July 1 through June 30) allowable harvest levels to apply during a 3-year pilot program:

anchovy - 85,000 lbs.; blue runner - 508,000 lbs.; thread herring - 308,000 lbs.; ladyfish - 2,088,000 lbs.; chub mackerel - 72,000 lbs.; menhaden - 2,415,000 lbs.; Spanish sardines - 943,000 lbs.; round scad - 999,000 lbs.; little tunny - 392,000 lbs.

BALLYHOO, CH 68B-56, F.A.C. (Effective May 1, 2003)

• Establishes a 10-box commercial vessel limit for fishermen who use lampara nets to harvest ballyhoo
• Prohibits the commercial harvest of ballyhoo with a lampara net during August each year
• Establishes a lampara net endorsement for qualified ballyhoo fishermen and a subsequent 5-year moratorium on endorsements after the initial allocations
• Provides for qualifying endorsement criteria and an appeals process
• Establishes a maximum daily vessel limit of 5 gallons of ballyhoo for persons who possess a saltwater products license without a lampara net endorsement
• Establishes a maximum daily vessel limit of 10 gallons of ballyhoo for persons who do not possess a ballyhoo endorsement and harvest ballyhoo as an incidental bycatch in purse seines or lampara nets

BAY COUNTY LOCAL GEAR SPECIFICATION, CH 46-3.007, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1990)

Repeals a Bay County Special Act (Chapter 17493, Laws of Florida).

BAY COUNTY (WARREN BAYOU) - SEASONAL HARVEST CLOSURE, CH 46-5.003, F.A.C. (Effective March 16, 1993)

Prohibits all harvest of fish in Warren Bayou and its discharge canals in November, December, January, and February.

BAY SCALLOPS, CH 46-18, F.A.C. (Effective June 13, 1985)

• Closed season (statewide): April 1 - June 30
• Gear restrictions: Each drag or basket used for harvesting bay scallops shall be no more than 40 inches in width and 14 inches in height, and shall have a rounded "lip" or leading edge designed to prevent digging into or penetrating grass beds, and to prevent traveling below the bottom; bag attached to drag or basket shall be constructed of mesh, wire mesh, or equally lightweight substitute; no vessel may pull, tow, or propel more than 4 drags or baskets; harvesting of scallops by mechanical means prohibited in water depths less than 3 feet
• Recreational bag limit: 5 gallons whole bay scallops in shell, or ½ gallon bay scallop meat per person per day
• St. Joseph's Bay: Commercial and mechanical harvest of bay scallops prohibited in southern portion of bay July 1 through August 15, and each weekend August 16 through Labor Day weekend

BAY SCALLOPS, CH 46-18, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1994)

Allows the recreational harvest of bay scallops only from July 1 through September 30, and only in state waters north of the Suwannee River to the Alabama border. All other harvest of bay scallops statewide is prohibited, and the commercial harvest and sale of bay scallops is prohibited statewide at all times.

BAY SCALLOPS, CH 46-18, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1995)

• Establishes a July 1 - August 31 recreational harvest season for bay scallops in state waters north and west of the Suwannee River only (all other state waters are closed to the harvest of bay scallops through the1997 season)
• Establishes a daily recreational bag limit of 2 gallons of unshucked bay scallops per person (or 1 pint of shucked bay scallop meat), or 10 gallons per vessel (or ½ gallon of shucked bay scallop meat), whichever is less
• Prohibits all commercial harvest and sale of bay scallops
• Prohibits the use of mechanical devices (including shrimp trawls) and drags to harvest bay scallops
• Establishes exemptions for bay scallop aquaculture and enhancement projects

BAY SCALLOPS, CH 46-18, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1997)

Continues the current bay scallop management plan indefinitely, and adds the first 10 days of September to the July/August open season in allowable harvest areas beginning in 1997.

BAY SCALLOPS, CH 68B-18, F.A.C. (Effective June 2, 2002)

Reopens the recreational harvest of bay scallops in state waters between the Suwannee River and the Pasco-Hernando county line and prohibits harvest of bay scallops west of the Mexico Beach Canal.

BILLFISH (MARLIN, SAILFISH, SPEARFISH), CH 46-33, F.A.C. (Effective March 31, 1988)

• Possession limit: One per person
• Sale: Prohibited
• Gear restrictions: Only by hook and line, and possession of billfish aboard vessels fishing with gill or trammel nets or longline gear in state waters is prohibited (NOTE: Exceptions are made to allow wholesale or retail seafood businesses or restaurants that smoke billfish for individuals, and taxidermists who mount billfish for the harvester, to possess more than one)

BILLFISH (MARLIN, SAILFISH, SPEARFISH), CH 68B-33, F.A.C. (Effective August 26, 1999)

• Establishes a lower jaw fork length minimum size limit of 99 inches for Atlantic blue marlin, 66 inches for Atlantic white marlin, and 63 inches for west Atlantic sailfish
• Prohibits retention of longbill, Mediterranean, and roundscale spearfish from Florida waters

BILLFISH (MARLIN, SAILFISH, SPEARFISH, SWORDFISH), CH 68B-33, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 2002)

• Includes swordfish in the Billfish rule chapter
• Requires persons who sell swordfish in Florida to possess a valid Florida Saltwater Products License and a federal Limited Access Permit for swordfish
• Establishes a minimum size limit for all swordfish taken from state waters of 47 inches lower jaw fork length, or 29 inches cleithrum to keel length, or 33 pounds dressed weight

BILLFISH (MARLIN, SAILFISH, SPEARFISH, SWORDFISH), CH 68B-33, F.A.C. (Effective April 2, 2003)

• Establishes a daily one-fish bag and on-the-water possession limit per person for recreationally harvested swordfish
• Establishes a recreational vessel possession limit of 3 swordfish
• Requires recreational anglers to report all non-tournament landings of billfish and swordfish as mandated in federal rules
• Requires all billfish to be landed in a whole condition

BISCAYNE BAY/CARD SOUND SPINY LOBSTER SANCTUARY, CH 46-11, F.A.C. (Effective July 3, 1984)

Sets aside an area in Dade and Monroe counties where the harvest of spiny lobsters is prohibited all year.

BLACK DRUM, CH 46-36, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1989)

• Designated as a "restricted species"
• Minimum size limit: 14 inches
• Maximum size limit: 24 inches; recreational harvesters may harvest and possess one black drum per day longer than 24 inches; the possession, landing, and sale of black drum longer than 24 inches in length by persons engaged in commercial harvest is prohibited
• Bag limit: 5 per day
• Commercial vessel limit: 500 pounds per day
• Prohibits the use of multiple hooks in conjunction with natural bait and snatch hooking
• Fish must be landed in a whole condition

BLACK DRUM, CH 46-36, F.A.C. (Effective August 31, 1998)

Allows shore fishermen who possess a valid saltwater products license with a restricted species endorsement to harvest the commercial limit for black drum.

BLACK DRUM, CH 68B-36, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of black drum, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

BLUE CRAB, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1994)

• Designates blue crab as a "restricted species" effective January 1, 1995
• Retains the current minimum size limit of five inches for hard blue crab commercial harvest
• Repeals the 10 percent tolerance for undersized blue crabs
• Allows a bycatch possession limit of 200 pounds of blue crabs per trip on shrimp trawls
• Allows an incidental bycatch of blue crabs not higher than the recreational bag limit with all other nonconforming gear
• Allows roller frame trawls to harvest no more than the recreational bag limit of undersized blue crabs as an incidental bycatch; such blue crabs shall be used as live bait only
• Allows the incidental harvest of blue crabs with legal gear fished in fresh water
• Specifies that the only gear allowed to be used to harvest blue crabs in state waters include legal traps, dip nets, drop nets, fold-up or star traps, hook and line gear, push scrape, and trot line
• Specifies that all traps used to harvest blue crabs have maximum dimensions of 24" X 24" X 24" or 8 cubic feet in volume (beginning January 1, 1995), be constructed of wire with a minimum mesh size of 1½ inches for hard blue crabs (1 inch for peeler crab traps), have the throat(s) located only on a vertical surface, contain at least one unobstructed escape ring with a minimum inside diameter of two inches (except peeler crab traps), and buoys and lines of certain specifications
• Requires all traps used to harvest blue crabs to have a degradable panel, beginning January 1, 1995
• Specifies that all buoys attached to blue crab traps be at least 6 inches in diameter and be made of styrofoam, cork, molded polyvinyl chloride, or molded polystyrene
• Requires commercial harvesters to affix their blue crab endorsement license number to each buoy in legible figures at least two inches high, and to display the buoy color and license number on the boat used to set this gear
• Requires each trap used by recreational blue crab harvesters to be marked with the harvester's name and address and each buoy attached to such trap to be marked with the letter "R"; buoys are not required on traps fished from docks
• Requires peeler crabs to be kept in a separate container from other blue crabs
• Prohibits all harvest and possession of egg-bearing blue crabs
• Establishes a daily recreational bag limit of 10 gallons of blue crabs
• Allows traps used to harvest blue crabs and peeler crabs to be worked during daylight hours only

BLUE CRAB, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1994)

• Requires all blue crab traps to have at least 3 unobstructed escape rings installed, each with a minimum inside diameter of 2 3/8 inches, effective January 1, 1995 (one such escape ring shall be located on a vertical outer surface adjacent to each crab retaining chamber)
• Exempts recreational traps - with a volume of no more than 1 cubic foot fished from a vessel, a dock, or from shore to harvest blue crabs - from general trap specification provisions
• Allows a 5 percent tolerance per container for undersize hard blue crabs
• Allows the harvest of no more than 10 gallons of undersize blue crabs with a dip net per person or vessel, whichever is less, for use and sale as live bait
• Allows legal live bait shrimp harvesters a bycatch of 10 gallons of undersize blue crabs per vessel

BLUE CRAB, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1995)

Establishes degradability requirements for blue crab traps. Such traps are considered to have a legal degradable panel if:

• The trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap by a single loop of untreated Jute twine, and the trap lid is secured so that when the jute degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed, or
• The trap lid tie-down strap is secured to one end with a corrodible hook composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, and the trap lid is secured so that when the hook degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high and 3 inches wide, and the opening is laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a single length of untreated jute twine knotted only at each end and not tied or looped more than once around a single mesh bar; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the jute degrades, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be obstructed with an untreated pine slat or slats no thicker than 3/8 inch; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the slat degrades, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner or be obstructed with a panel of ferrous single-dipped galvanized wire mesh made of 24 gauge or thinner wire

BLUE CRAB, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective October 4, 1995)

• Allows baiting of blue crab peeler traps with live male blue crabs only
• Requires all blue crab traps with 1½" mesh to have escape rings

BLUE CRAB - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective September 30, 1996)

Requires the color and trap number of marking buoys to be permanently and conspicuously displayed on vessels so that they are:

• Readily identifiable from the air, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up (for vessels with an open design, such as skiffs from which blue crab traps are fished, one seat instead shall be painted with buoy assigned colors with permit numbers, unobstructed and no smaller than 10 inches high, painted thereon in contrasting color); otherwise, the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches high
• Readily identifiable from the water, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches high

BLUE CRAB - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

• Prohibits the harvest of blue crabs with a trap in federal waters adjacent to Florida
• Requires that each throat (entrance) in all blue crab traps be horizontally oriented; the width of the opening where the throat meets the vertical wall of the trap and the opening of the throat at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap, shall be greater than the height of any such opening; no such throat shall extend farther than 6 inches into the inside of any trap, measured from where the throat opening meets the vertical wall of the trap to the throat opening at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap
• Provides that trap marking buoys be either spherical in shape with a diameter no smaller than 6 inches, or some other shape provided that it is no shorter than 10 inches in the longest dimension and the width at some point exceeds 5 inches
• Requires persons who commercially harvest blue crabs with traps to possess a saltwater products license with both a blue crab and restricted species endorsement

BLUE CRAB - TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-45, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Allows the use on blue crab traps of trap lid tie-down straps secured at one end by a loop composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, 2 X 3/8 inch non-treated pine dowels or squares to replace the hook on tie-down straps, a 3 X 6 inch panel attached to the trap opening with 24 gauge or less wire or single strand jute
• Prohibits the use of a 24 gauge hook or tie-down strap on blue crab traps
• Requires each commercial blue crab trap fished in Florida waters to be permanently marked with the harvester's blue crab trap endorsement number
• Deletes rule language that requires 1-inch identification numbers on blue crab trap buoys

BLUE CRAB - TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective February 28, 2002)

Extends the moratorium on the issuance of new blue crab endorsements through June 30, 2005.

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

Prohibits blue crab traps in the area north of the Suwannee River and beyond 3 miles seaward from September 20 through October 4.

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

Extends the September 20 through October 4 blue crab closure to all Gulf of Mexico state waters between three and nine miles from shore.

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective October 21, 2004)

• Extends the blue crab endorsement moratorium to July 1, 2006
• Allows male blue crabs used as bait to attract female blue crabs into peeler traps to be fed with a single bait fish
• Permits a vertical or horizontal orientation of degradable panels and the use of 16 gauge degradable staples in blue crab traps

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective May 26, 2005)

• Establishes a hard crab endorsement and a soft crab endorsement, which can be associated with either an individual or vessel Saltwater Products License
• Establishes endorsement qualifying and re-qualifying criteria
• Requires trap tags and establishes tag ordering criteria and a replacement tag program
• Establishes an appeals board and criteria by which non-qualifying blue crab fishers could be allocated traps
• Establishes the Blue Crab Advisory Board by rule, and sets criteria for appointment to the board
• Prohibits the leasing or renting of endorsements, tags, or traps
• Establishes endorsement holder responsibilities

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective February 1, 2006)

• Establishes a nontransferable blue crab limited-entry endorsement for certain net fishermen who have a valid blue crab endorsement but no qualified landings to use up to 100 traps to harvest and sell hard shell blue crabs
• Establishes an incidental take endorsement to allow a daily bycatch of 200 pounds of blue crabs per vessel from shrimp trawls and stone crab traps
• Allows a blue crab harvester to obtain permission from the FWC's Division of Law Enforcement to let another person transport, deploy, pull or retrieve the harvester's traps on a short-term basis for hardship reasons

BLUE CRAB, CH 68BER06-1, F.A.C. (Effective July 1 - September 28, 2006)

Extends the moratorium on blue crab endorsements and delays the start of the blue crab effort management program until July 1, 2007.

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective September 20, 2006)

Continues provisions of CH68BER06-1, F.A.C. Extends the moratorium on blue crab endorsements and delays the start of the blue crab effort management program until July 1, 2007.

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective October 15, 2007)

• Allows recreational fishers to use fold-up blue crab traps up to one cubic foot in volume that are not necessarily pyramid-shaped
• Deletes the provision that limits the base panel of fold-up traps to one square foot

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2009)

Establishes the following regional closed seasons of up to 10 days each to the harvest of blue crabs with traps in:

• all waters of the St. Johns River system from Jan. 16-25
• all other coastal waters from the Georgia/Florida border south through Volusia County from Aug. 20-29
• all waters of Brevard through Palm Beach counties from Aug. 10-19
• all waters of Broward through Pasco counties from July 10-19
• all waters of Hernando through Wakulla counties from July 20-29
• all waters of Franklin County to the Florida/Alabama border from Jan. 5-14

BLUE CRAB, CH 68B-45, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2009)

Establishes administrative penalties for violations of provisions of the Blue Crab Effort Management Program.

BLUEFISH, CH 46-43, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1993)

• Designates bluefish as a "restricted species"
• Establishes a 10 fish daily bag limit for recreational fishermen
• Increases the minimum size limit from 10 inches to 12 inches fork length
• Requires all commercial harvesters to adhere to statewide gear requirements while fishing in state and Atlantic federal waters, except that the use of spotter airplanes to harvest bluefish is allowed in federal waters of the East Central Coast Region
• Establishes a 7,500 pound daily commercial vessel limit for bluefish on Florida's east coast in state and federal waters north of the Dade/Monroe county line
• Requires bluefish to be landed in a whole condition

BLUEFISH, CH 46-43, F.A.C. (Effective October 4, 1995)

Establishes an annual commercial quota of 877,000 pounds for bluefish harvested on the state's Atlantic Ocean coast.

BLUEFISH, CH 46-43, F.A.C. (Effective August 31, 1998)

Prohibits the sale of undersize bluefish.

BLUE LAND CRABS, CH 68B-54, F.A.C. (Effective February 27, 2003)

• Prohibits harvest of blue land crabs from July 1 through Oct. 31 each year to protect the crabs during spawning migrations
• Prohibits harvest, possession, purchase or sale of egg-bearing female blue land crabs
• Allows harvest of blue land crabs only by hand or by the use of dip nets
• Prohibits use of bleach or other chemical solutions for harvest of blue land crabs
• Prohibits the daily harvest or possession at any time of more than 20 blue land crabs per person
• Prohibits harvest of blue land crabs from state parks and from the right of way of any federal, state or county maintained road, whether paved or otherwise

BONEFISH, CH 46-34, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1988)

• Bag and possession limit: One per person
• Minimum size limit: 18 inches total length

(NOTE: An exception from possession limit for taxidermists is allowed)

BONEFISH, CH 68B-34, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of bonefish, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

BREVARD COUNTY TURKEY CREEK AND CRANE CREEK, CH 46-3.009, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1990)

Allows only hook and line gear, landing or dip nets, cast nets, or legal crab traps to be used to harvest fish in all waters and tributaries of Turkey Creek and Crane Creek in Brevard County westward of a line drawn between the two easternmost points of land at the respective mouths of the creeks.

BREVARD COUNTY NET GEAR, CH 46-3.038, F.A.C. (Effective February 16, 1993)

Repeals Brevard County Special Acts prohibiting nets in certain areas, and readopts the prohibition of the use of any net or seine of a length greater than 75 yards within 200 yards of the mean high tide mark in the Atlantic waters of Brevard County, except for those waters adjacent to beaches closed to public access by NASA.

CALICO SCALLOPS, CH 46-53, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1999)

(Note: Some trawl provisions regarding this rule are also included in the shrimp rule - CH 46-31, F.A.C.)

• Prohibits the harvest of calico scallops between the Hillsborough/Manatee counties line and the Big Bend/Northwest regions line
• Prohibits the use of scallop trawls in all state waters closed to otter trawls, and within 1 mile from the COLREGS line (except in Franklin, Gulf, and Wakulla counties - within 3 miles from the COLREGS line)
• Prohibits the possession of more than 250 processed calico scallop meats per pound measured in a 1 pound sample taken in any container(s), with no tolerance for undersize scallops
• Allows the use of specified trawls for the directed harvest of calico scallops only, and allows the use of a try net
• Establishes a minimum webbing size of 3 inches stretched mesh throughout the body and bag of the net, a minimum net twine size as #84 nylon, a maximum headrope length of 40 feet (120 feet perimeter), and a maximum net mesh area of 500 square feet
• Establishes a maximum net tow time of 25 minutes, and allows turtle excluder device exemptions for specified calico scallop trawls if federally approved

CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER SEASONAL NET CLOSURE, CH 46-3.002, F.A.C. (Effective May 1, 1988)

Closes river to net fishing all year, east or upstream of a line running across the river from Redfish Point to near Peppertree Point, and closes northern half of river near Cape Coral to netting during roe mullet season (November 1 to January 15) each year. Provides exception to closures for common hand cast nets and bait seines 100 feet or less in length.

CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER SEASONAL NET CLOSURE, CH 46-3.002, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

Expands above closure to January 31 each year and extends the closure area to include the southern half of the river and waters surrounding the Punta Rassa - Shell Point area.

COBIA, CH 46-19, F.A.C. (Effective June 13, 1985)

Establishes a minimum size limit of 37 inches total length (equivalent to 33 inches fork length).

COBIA, CH 46-19, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1990)

• Minimum size limit: 33 inches fork length
• Bag limit: 2 per person daily for all fishermen, commercial and recreational - must be landed in a whole condition

COBIA, CH 46-19, F.A.C. (Effective August 31, 1998)

Prohibits the sale of undersize cobia.

COBIA, CH 68B-19, F.A.C. (Effective March 22, 2001)

• Designates cobia as a "restricted species"
• Establishes a one-fish-per-day bag limit per person and a six-fish-per-day vessel limit (whichever is less) for recreational fishermen
• Establishes a two-fish-per-day bag limit per person and a six-fish-per-day vessel limit (whichever is less) for commercial fishermen

DIVERS: FISH FEEDING PROHIBITED, CH 68B-5.005, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2002)

• Prohibits the practice of the introduction of food or other substances by divers to feed or attract marine species
• Prohibits the operation of any vessel for hire for the purpose of carrying passengers to any site to observe fish feeding

DOLPHIN, CH 46-41, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1991)

• Recreational daily bag and on-the-water possession limit: 10
• Commercial size limit: 20 inches fork length for commercial fishermen and all sale (must be landed in a whole condition)
• Allowed gear: Hook and line, longline (bycatches not exceeding the bag limit exempted)

DOLPHIN AND WAHOO, CH 68B-41, F.A.C. (Effective January 3, 2005)

• Designates dolphin and wahoo as restricted species
• Establishes a 20-inch fork length minimum size limit for all harvest of dolphin on Florida's Atlantic coast
• Establishes a statewide maximum recreational harvest limit of 60 dolphin per vessel (except 10 dolphin per paying passenger on for-hire vessels)
• Establishes a statewide daily two-fish recreational bag limit and a 500-pound commercial daily vessel limit for wahoo
• Requires commercial vessels on the Atlantic coast harvesting dolphin and wahoo to have a federal permit
• Prohibits the sale of recreationally caught dolphin or wahoo (except qualified for-hire vessels may sell recreationally harvested dolphin)
• Requires all dolphin and wahoo to be landed in a whole condition

ESCAMBIA AND SANTA ROSA COUNTIES: PURSE SEINE HARVEST OF MENHADEN, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective August 3, 1994)

Allows the limited use of purse seines to harvest menhaden in state waters of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties landward of the Colregs Demarcation Line. The rule, applicable in the above described region only:

• Establishes a June 1 through May 31 commercial harvest season for menhaden
• Provides that if the total commercial harvest of menhaden is not projected to reach one million pounds during the period June 1 through October 31, the season will close until the following June 1
• Provides that if the total commercial harvest of menhaden is projected to reach three million pounds before May 31, the season will close on the projected date until the following June 1
• Prohibits the harvest of menhaden with a purse seine from any vessel 40 feet or greater in length
• Prohibits the use of purse seines greater than 400 yards in length
• Prohibits the use of purse seines in the waters of Big Lagoon, Santa Rosa Sound, Escambia Bay north of the railroad trestle just north of the Interstate 10 bridge, Blackwater Bay north of the Interstate 10 bridge, or in any bayou in the inside waters of these counties, except Bayou Texar and Bayou Chico
• Prohibits the harvest of menhaden with purse seines from sunset Friday through sunrise Monday, and on legal state holidays
• Establishes a two percent bycatch allowance by weight for nontargeted species harvested with purse seines (however, any fish for which the Commission has established a bag limit may not be retained)

FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, CH 46-6, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1997)

This rule, in state waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary:

• Prohibits all harvest, possession, and molestation of any living or dead marine organism or habitat feature within the Western Sambos Ecological Reserve (SER), and within the Cheeca Rocks, Eastern Dry Rocks, Hens and Chickens, Newfound Harbor Key, Rock Key, and Sand Key Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPA's); however, properly stowed finfish, shellfish, and marine plants, and fishing gear not readily accessible for immediate use (by being stowed unbaited in a cabin, locker, rod holder, or similar storage area, or by being securely covered and lashed to a deck or bulkhead), may be possessed on a vessel in transit through these areas; catch and release fishing by trolling is also allowed in the Sand Key area
• Prohibits touching and standing on a living or dead coral formation
• Prohibits all harvest, possession, and molestation of any living or dead marine organism or habitat feature, and all fishing, within the Eastern Sambos Special-Use area, except by special permit for research or education purposes

FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, CH 46-6, F.A.C. (Effective November 16, 1998)

• Allows persons fishing in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary state waters who possess a valid federal permit to harvest ballyhoo, balao, halfbeaks, and herring in the Cheeca Rocks, Hens and Chickens, Eastern Dry Rocks, Rock Key, and Sand Key Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPA's) with a legal cast net or modified lampara net (designed to fish only at the water surface), and in the Newfound Harbor SPA with a legal cast net
• Prohibits the harvest of all bycatch, contact with or disturbance of the seabed, and the use of any other gear other than that specified above in the designated SPA's

FLORIDA KEYS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY, CH 68B-6, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2001)

Prohibits all fishing, spearfishing and collection of marine life in state waters in the Tortugas Ecological Reserve.

FLOUNDER AND SHEEPSHEAD, CH 46-48, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

• Establishes a 12 inches minimum size limit for all harvester of both species
• Establishes a 10 fish daily recreational bag limit for each species
• Allows only hook and line, cast net, and beach and haul seine gear for the harvest of each species (gigs also allowed for flounders only) - a 50 pound commercial daily vessel bycatch allowance for each species otherwise legally harvested in nonconforming gear is also allowed
• Daily harvest of no more than 10 of each species allowed by spearfishing
• Designates both species as "restricted species"
• Defines "length" (for purposes of determining the size limit) as the measurement of the fish from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail
• Requires both species to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of any such fish that are not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Prohibits the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with natural bait, and snagging (snatch hooking) to harvest both species in state waters
• Allows size/bag limit exemptions for aquaculture operators who provide proper documentation

FLOUNDER AND SHEEPSHEAD, CH 46-48, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1997)

Increases the daily bag limit for sheepshead from 10 to 15 fish per person for recreational fishermen, and allows commercial spearfishing of sheepshead.

FLOUNDER AND SHEEPSHEAD, CH 46-48, F.A.C. (Effective August 31, 1998)

Prohibits the sale of undersize flounder and sheepshead.

FLOUNDER AND SHEEPSHEAD, CH 68B-48, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of flounder and sheepshead, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1990)

Repeals a statutory provision that prevents the D.N.R. from issuing special activity licenses for the experimental use of alternative shrimp fishing gear.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER91-1, F.A.C. (Effective February 12 - May 13, 1991)

Prohibits the use of any gill or trammel net with a total length greater than 600 yards, allows no more than two such nets to be possessed aboard any boat at any time and no more than one such net to be used from a single boat, and requires the net to be tended and marked according to certain specifications in the waters of Brevard through Palm Beach counties.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective March 20, 1991)

Prohibits the use of gill nets in state waters with a mesh size greater than 6 inches stretched mesh.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 4, 1991)

In all waters of Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties:

• Prohibits the use of any gill or trammel net with a total length greater than 600 yards
• Allows no more than two nets to be possessed aboard any boat at any time
• Allows no more than one net to be in the water at any time
• Requires nets to be tended during a soak time lasting no more than one hour
• Prohibits the attachment of two or more gill or trammel nets together if the total length of the joined nets exceeds 600 yards
• Requires nets to be marked and lighted according to certain specifications

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1992)

• Requires each net fished with, set, or placed in the water to be tended
• "Tend" is defined as a person fishing either within 300 yards of the net and using vessel movement and noise to force fish into the net, or within 50 yards of the net and visible from the net if the vessel used is not in constant motion, or the person fishing is physically present at the net if the net is fished from shore or from a structure attached to the shore (until April 30, 1994, persons using nets in state waters seaward of the Colregs Demarcation Line in Nassau, Duval, and St. Johns counties are exempt from these requirements January through April each year)
• Requires that each net fished with, set, or placed in the water one hour before sunrise through one hour after sunset have affixed at each end of the net cork line either an international orange float with a diameter of at least 12 inches or an end buoy equipped with a high flier (a vertical rod rising at least 24 inches above the water) displaying a triangular net signal flag no smaller than 12" X 18" X 18" with a white circle at least 6 inches in diameter on a field of bright orange, and one hour after sunset through one hour before sunrise have a white light affixed at each end of the net cork line visible 360 degrees from a distance of not less than one mile (note - markings are not necessary any time one end of a net is retained aboard a vessel while fishing); requires corks or floats of contrasting colors to be affixed along the net cork line at no greater than 100-yard intervals at all times
• Requires all markers described above to be marked with the vessel or operator's saltwater products license
• Defines "net" as any gill or trammel net or seine (except purse seines), for purposes of this rule
• Exempts persons using gill and trammel nets in Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Palm Beach counties from the rule provisions described above - these persons shall comply with Rule 46-4.007, Florida Administrative Code, now in effect
• Repeals Chapter 370.082, Florida Statutes (relates to current net tending and marking requirements in several Florida counties)
• Prohibits all persons from intentionally discarding any monofilament fishing line or netting into state waters; requires such material to be stored safely on vessels and disposed of on land; encourages designation of a disposal container aboard all vessels for proper disposal of monofilament fishing line and netting, and for any other nondegradable material
• Prohibits the use of any gasoline or electric motorized vessel to harvest any fish in Lake Avoca in Pinellas County
• Prohibits fishing with nets other than a cast net or landing or dip net in the Faka Union River (or Canal)
• Repeals Chapters 19704, 28996, and 57-1794, Laws of Florida

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective November 26, 1992)

Establishes the criteria for Special Activity Licenses to be issued to persons using non-conforming fishing gear to allow for gear innovation, provide for public health, safety, and welfare, and for scientific research purposes.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1993)

• Requires hook and line gear to be continually tended
• Prohibits soaking a net for more than one hour, beginning when the first mesh is placed in the water and ending either when the first mesh is retrieved back aboard the vessel or on shore or the gathering or pursing of the net is begun to facilitate retrieval back aboard the vessel, whichever occurs sooner; once either the first mesh is retrieved back aboard the vessel or on shore or the gathering or pursing is begun, the netting operation shall be continuous until the net is completely removed from the water
• Sets a maximum mesh size for seines at 2 inches stretched mesh, excluding the wings
• Sets a minimum mesh size for gill and trammel nets at 3 inches stretched mesh, beginning January 1, 1995
• Sets a maximum length of 600 yards for all gill and trammel nets and seines
• Allows only a single net to be fished by any vessel or individual at any time
• Allows no more than two nets to be in possession on a vessel, and requires that the two nets have stretched mesh sizes that differ by at least 1/4 inch or depths that differ by at least 25 meshes
• Prohibits the use of powerheads in state waters except for personal protection; the possession of fish which have been harvested with explosive devices on any vessel fishing or at rest in state waters will be deemed prima facie evidence that such fish have been harvested in state waters
• Prohibits the use of spotter airplanes to assist the harvest of any species other than Spanish mackerel during the unlimited harvest segment and species allowed to be harvested by purse seines
• Requires all persons using gill and trammel nets, and seines exceeding either 100 feet in length, 4 feet in depth, or 3/8 inch mesh size to obtain a saltwater products license
• Prohibits the use of longline gear
• Repeals, modifies, or readopts numerous local laws and special acts regarding the use of fishing gear in Florida

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - PANHANDLE REGION, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective March 16, 1993)

• Defines the Panhandle Region as the area between the Gulf/Franklin county border and the Florida/Alabama border
• Prohibits the use of all nets (except cast nets) in Lake Powell, Johnson Bayou, Pretty Bayou, Callaway Bayou, Mill Bayou, Sandy Creek, and Doty's Cove in Bay County; in Lake Pippin in Okaloosa County; in Blackwater Bay north of Interstate Highway 10 in Santa Rosa County; and in Lake Wimico and certain tributaries in Gulf County
• Allows recreational fishermen to use gill nets smaller that 300 feet in length with a mesh size larger than 3 inches stretched mesh to harvest mullet until January 1, 1995 in this region

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective April 12, 1993)

Restores an exemption to persons fishing with nets seaward of the Colregs Demarcation line during the months of January through April each year (until May 1, 1994) in Nassau, Duval, and St. Johns counties from the one hour soak time provision in CH 46-4, F.A.C.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA PURSE SEINE RESTRICTIONS, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1993)

Allows the use of purse seines in the Tampa Bay area (Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties) in state waters beyond 3 miles offshore of the COLREGS line only. This rule also repeals local purse seine gear restrictions in this area and establishes a maximum purse seine length of 600 yards with a maximum depth of 1,500 meshes in the allowable area.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - SPECIAL ACTIVITY LICENSES FOR NONCONFORMING GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

Allows the issuance of a special activity license to persons harvesting fish for scientific purposes in non-conforming gear for sale to nonprofit institutions.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - BIG BEND GEAR SPECIFICATIONS: RECREATIONAL NET FISHING, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

Allows recreational fishermen to use a gill net with a maximum length of 100 yards with a minimum 3 inches stretched mesh in the Big Bend Region to harvest mullet until January 1, 1995.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - SOUTHWEST FLORIDA GEAR SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

• Defines the Southwest Region to include Collier through Pinellas counties
• Prohibits the use of gill and trammel nets in any bayou, river, creek, or tributary of the Estero River, Hendry Creek, Imperial River from headwaters to Fishtrap Bay, Myakka River from State Road 776 north to County Road 780, Gordon River north of U.S. Highway 41, Hillsborough River, and Alafia River; and, along with cast nets, in a specified area of Blind Pass and Dinken (also known as Jenkins) Bayou from November 1 - January 31 each year
• Prohibits the use or possession of all gill and trammel nets aboard any vessel with a motor (gasoline, diesel, or electric) in the "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge/Sanibel Island Conservation Zone; in addition, the use of motorized vessels to assist in the harvest of fish in this zone is prohibited; the harvest of fish with hook and line gear or cast nets aboard any vessel under internal combustion power in this zone is also prohibited
• Allows tended wing ding nets to be used under certain conditions with a maximum 12 hour soak time outside the COLREGS line in Manatee to Collier counties

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - EAST CENTRAL COAST GEAR SPECIFICATIONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER93-1, F.A.C. (Effective October 12, 1993 - January 10, 1994)

• Establishes a conservation zone for green sea turtles to include all state waters between Sebastian Inlet and Jupiter Inlet outside the Colregs line at all times
• Allows only one gill net (maximum length of 600 yards) aboard a vessel, with zero net soak time, in the conservation zone
• Prohibits the use of trammel nets in the conservation zone
• Prohibits the use of all gill and trammel nets and seines in Martin County in all inland waters south of the St. Lucie Inlet to the State Road 708 bridge and waters of the St. Lucie River, North and South Forks, west of the U.S. Highway 1 (Roosevelt) Bridge

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - EAST CENTRAL COAST GEAR SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective January 23, 1994)

Makes emergency provisions described above permanent.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 18, 1994)

Clarifies that statewide net marking requirements are intended to apply to the east central coast of Florida.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective January 3 - June 30, 1995)

In all state waters from Ponce de Leon Inlet to Jupiter Inlet outside the Colregs Demarcation Line:

• Prohibits the use of all gill nets, trammel nets, and seines one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise
• Allows only one gill net (maximum length of 600 yards) aboard a vessel, with zero net soak time, at all other times
• Prohibits the use of trammel nets at all times

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective September 30, 1996)

Rule amendments and the repeal of obsolete rules that conform current fishing gear rules with Constitutional provisions. Rules affected include local laws, gear, Spanish mackerel, black drum, and marine life species.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1997)

• Allows the use from a single vessel of no more than 2 cast nets (each with a radius of no more than 12 feet, 7 inches) in nearshore and inshore state waters
• Prohibits the use of rebreathers to aid the harvest of any marine species
• Conforms various gear rule definitions with Constitutional provision

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 46-4, F.A.C. (Effective April 27, 1998)

• Prohibits the use of any seine with a mesh size larger than 2 inches stretched mesh
• Deletes obsolete net gear provisions
• Conforms certain gear rules to constitutional and statutory provisions

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective December 2, 1999)

Specifies that a legal cast net can have a stretched length (the distance from the horn at the center of the net, with the net gathered and pulled taut, to the lead line) no greater than 14 feet.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2001)

Prohibits spearfishing of marine species in freshwater.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2001)

Removes some potential barriers to net fishing by persons with disabilities.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR - MARTIN COUNTY, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective February 27, 2003)

Deletes a rule that prohibits the use of beach or haul seines in described areas of Martin County inside waters from September through February each year. Rule 68B-3.032, F.A.C., which allows only 30-foot minnow seines, cast nets and landing or dip nets in inside waters of Martin County at all times, applies instead.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Clarifies and re-adopts certain provisions that implement prohibitions of the net limitation amendment
• Prohibits the transport of illegal nets in state waters (unless the transport of such nets is direct, continuous and expeditious from where the vessel is moored to where the use of such nets is legal)
• Specifies that any auxiliary vessels used in conjunction with a primary vessel must be commercially registered and eight feet long or longer
• Prohibits possession of more than four seines aboard a vessel (including the primary vessel and any other vessel being transported or towed)

(NOTE: The rules include certain exceptions for docked vessels meeting specified length requirements, vessels transporting dry nets that are stored to make their immediate use impracticable, vessels using nets in a licensed aquaculture operation and vessels containing or transporting trawl nets, as long as the frame or trawl doors are not deployed.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2004)

• Limits the number of fishing lines/rods used per boat to fish for any species of fish in Boca Grande Pass to no more than three during April, May and June
• Prohibits use of breakaway gear to harvest any fish in Boca Grande Pass during April, May and June - breakaway gear is defined to mean any bob, float, weight, lure or spoon that is affixed to a fishing line or hook with wire, line, rubber bands, plastic ties or other fasteners designed to break off when a fish is caught

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

Prohibits possession of trap pullers on all commercial and recreational vessels that do not have a Saltwater Products License with an accompanying lobster, stone crab or blue crab endorsement or a federal fish trap permit (except as an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act).

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective January 3, 2005)

Allows the use of trap pullers on vessels harvesting from aquaculture leases or pursuant to a federal live rock permit (no wild-caught regulated species may be possessed aboard the vessel).

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2005)

Incorporates constitutional and statutory net fishing provisions into FWC rules, and creates net measurement and net construction specifications.

GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4, F.A.C. (Effective April 1, 2007)

Requires persons recovering monofilament netting in Florida waters to notify FWC law enforcement prior to recovering the netting and to have an FWC officer present to supervise recovery and disposal of the material.

GOVERNOR'S RULE REDUCTION INITIATIVE: TITLE 46, F.A.C. RULE REPEALS (Effective January 1, 1996)

Eliminates 60 obsolete or otherwise substantively unnecessary rules from Title 46 of the F.A.C., in response to a call from the Governor to reduce the number of state agency regulations. Includes local laws rendered obsolete by the constitutional net ban, severability and penalties rules, and other rules found to be substantively unnecessary.

HARD CLAMS, CH 46-17, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1985)

• Minimum size limit: 7/8 inch, with 3% tolerance on undersized clams
• Hours of taking: Daytime only (½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset)
• Rakes, tongs, and baskets used for harvesting and sorting must have not less than 7/8 inch clear space between teeth, bars, dividers, and cull racks
• Use of wire or net in baskets prohibited
• Use of rakes and dredges in grass beds prohibited
• Mechanical devices used for harvest may not be pulled under power
• Clams must be shaded during transport and storage

HARD CLAMS, CH 46-17, F.A.C. (Effective March 15, 1987)

• Minimum size limit: Increased to 1 inch thickness across the hinge
• Gear restrictions: Culling devices used must sort out clams smaller than 1 inch

HARD CLAMS, CH 46-17, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1989)

Retains a wild harvest size limit of 1 inch with a 3% tolerance, and allows mariculture operations to sell hard clams at least 7/8 inch in thickness out-of-state; establishes the authority of the Marine Patrol to inspect trucks for undersized clams after they have left the packing house.

HARD CLAMS, CH 46-17, F.A.C. (Effective April 11, 1994)

• Requires that wild hard clams be sorted immediately after being taken
• Prohibits the possession of more than one bushel of unsorted wild hard clams aboard a vessel on state waters at any time, and prohibits the possession of unsorted wild hard clams aboard vessels observed under power
• Lowers the size limit of cultured hard clams to 5/8 inch in thickness across the hinge, provided that such clams are segregated from wild hard clams (possession of cultured hard clams smaller than 5/8 inch for purposes of grow-out is also allowed)
• Prohibits the relaying of wild hard clams smaller than one inch in thickness across the hinge from closed areas to leased clam beds or upland aquaculture facilities
• Allows the sorting of cultured hard clams to comply with size limit provisions at upland facilities of legal aquaculture operations, provided that the nearest Florida Marine Patrol office is notified at least 4 hours in advance, the sorting takes place in an area separated from any area where wild hard clams are being processed, cultured hard clams smaller than one inch in thickness across the hinge are kept separated from wild hard clams at all times, and cultured hard clams smaller than 5/8 inch in thickness across the hinge are either returned to the operator's lease or are kept segregated in the facility for legal sale
• Prohibits the possession of both cultured and wild hard clams aboard any vessel in state waters at any time
• Clarifies provisions regarding certain harvesting gear and cull racks
• Establishes a daily bag limit of 5 gallons of unshucked hard clams per person or, if two or more persons are aboard, 10 gallons per vessel, for recreational fishermen

HORSESHOE CRAB, CH 68B-46, F.A.C. (Effective March 30, 2000)

Allows harvest of horseshoe crab only by hand and gig, establishes a daily bag and possession limit of 25 animals (except that persons who possess a saltwater products license with a marine life endorsement and commercial freshwater eel fishermen may harvest and possess up to 100 horseshoe crabs per day while in or on the salt waters of the state), and requires that all persons who harvest, possess, or sell horseshoe crabs possess a saltwater products license.

HORSESHOE CRAB, CH 68B-46, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 2002)

• Establishes a Horseshoe Crab Biomedical Collecting Permit for temporary collection and possession of live horseshoe crabs for biomedical purposes
• Requires permit holders to report landings and other related information to the FWC monthly and carefully maintain collected horseshoe crabs to ensure their safe return to the water
• Exempts biomedical permit holders from the daily bag limit
• Designates horseshoe crabs as a saltwater product, which requires mandatory reporting of commercial horseshoe crab landing

JELLYFISH, CH 46-51, F.A.C. (Effective August 1, 1996)

• Allows the harvest of jellyfish (including all species of the genera Rophilema and Stomopholus) in state waters out to 1 mile from shore on the Atlantic coast and 3 miles from shore on the Gulf coast only with the following gear:

  - Cast nets with a radius no greater than 12½ feet

  - Beach or haul seines with a maximum mesh size no greater than 2 inches, and a maximum of 500 square feet of mesh area

  - Paired surface trawls with a maximum of 500 square feet of mesh area, a minimum mesh size in the wing portion of the trawl of no less than 3½ inches stretched mesh, and a minimum mesh size in the bag portion of the trawl no less than 1½ inches stretched mesh (these trawls are not allowed to tend the bottom)

  - No more than 2 wing nets, each with a maximum of 500 square feet of mesh area, a perimeter no greater than 40 feet per net, and a minimum mesh size of no less than 3½ inches stretched mesh

  - A single frame net, with a maximum of 500 square feet of mesh area, a perimeter no greater than 40 feet per net, and a minimum mesh size of no less than 3½ inches stretched mesh

  - No more than 2 hand dip nets, each with a maximum of 500 square feet of mesh area

• Allows the harvest of jellyfish in state waters beyond 1 mile offshore on the Atlantic coast and 3 miles offshore on the Gulf coast with only the gear described above, and a paired surface trawl with a maximum mesh area of 3,000 square feet (no more than two nets with a combined total of 3,000 square feet may be used), a minimum mesh size in the wing portion of the trawl of no less than 3½ inches stretched mesh, and a minimum mesh size in the bag portion of the trawl no less than 1½ inches stretched mesh (these trawls are not allowed to tend the bottom)
• Prohibits the harvest of any other species as an incidental bycatch while targeting jellyfish

JOHN PENNEKAMP CORAL REEF STATE PARK, CH 46-5.002, F.A.C. (Effective July 3, 1989)

Prohibits the harvest of numerous tropical reef fish species within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and includes a minimum size limit of 8 inches for all other fishes taken from the Park (except sardines, herrings, anchovies, ballyhoo, jacks, mullet, and pinfish).

JOHN PENNEKAMP CORAL REEF STATE PARK, CH 46-5.002, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1994)

• Eliminates the special 2-day spiny lobster sport season in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
• Prohibits the harvest of any lobster species of the Genera Panulirus or Scyllarides and the deployment of any lobster trap in Turtle Rocks, Basin Hill North, Basin Hill East, Basin Hill South, Higdon's Reef, Cannon Patch, Mosquito Bank North, Mosquito Bank Southeast, Three Sisters North, and Three Sisters South - all in Pennekamp Park, and from or within any patch reef in the Park

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective December 20, 1984)

Bag limit: 2 fish per person per trip for all fishermen, both commercial and recreational, in state waters from the Alabama/Florida border south to Monroe/Collier counties border all year, and also in state waters around the southern tip of Florida (including the Keys) northward to the Volusia/Flagler counties border from November 1 through March 31.

KING MACKEREL - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER85-8, F.A.C. (Effective December 4, 1985 through March 3, 1986)

Bag limit: 25 fish per vessel per day for fishermen who possess a federal permit for the commercial harvest by hook and line of the Gulf of Mexico Group of king mackerel in state waters off Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties from Fowey Light to Jupiter Inlet from November 1 through March 31.

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective November 13, 1986)

Makes emergency bag limit (described above) permanent. Special bag limit for commercial hook and line fishermen applies until commercial harvest is closed in adjacent federal waters each fishing season (July 1 - June 30). Harvest for all other fishermen (under 2 fish limit) closes when all harvest in federal waters is closed each season. Bycatch allowance of 10% by weight of all species in possession of harvester is continued.

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective March 15, 1987)

• Bag limit: 2 fish per person per trip for all fishermen, commercial and recreational, in all state waters in the Atlantic Ocean and in the Gulf of Mexico south of the Monroe/Collier counties border between April 1 and October 31 each year, and in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Volusia/Flagler counties border between November 1 and March 31 each year; when all harvest is closed in federal waters during the established fishing season (April 1 - March 31), the season is closed for all fishermen in state waters as well
• Special exception: Commercial hook and line fishermen who possess federal and state permits to harvest king mackerel in the Atlantic fishery are allowed a daily bag limit of 50 fish per boat for as long as adjacent federal waters remain open each fishing season; a king mackerel bycatch allowance not to exceed 10% by weight of all species in possession of the harvester is provided

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1988)

• Designates king mackerel as a "restricted species"
• The region where the special commercial bag limit applies is expanded to include Monroe County
• Requires a restricted species endorsement on a saltwater products license in addition to a federal commercial permit for those harvesting under the special bag limit; bag limit for all other harvesters is amended to provide for a reduction to 1 fish per person per day when federal waters are closed to all harvest of king mackerel
• "Bycatch allowance" is amended to only allow bycatch of king mackerel in the Spanish mackerel fishery and to limit that bycatch to 1% or 250 lbs., whichever is less

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1988)

• Designates king mackerel as a "restricted species"
• Requires a restricted species endorsement on a saltwater products license in addition to a federal commercial permit for those harvesting under the special bag limit - the bag limit for all other harvesters is changed from 2 fish per person per trip to 2 fish per person per day
• "Bycatch allowance" is amended to only allow bycatch of king mackerel in the Spanish mackerel fishery and to limit that bycatch to 1% or 250 lbs., whichever is less
• Automatic closure of state waters upon closure of all harvest of king mackerel in federal waters is deleted

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1990)

• Divides this fishery into two regions, allocates half the commercial quota to Dade County northward and half to all other counties in the fishery, and sets the following daily commercial vessel and landing limits for each region annually: 1,000 pounds from July 1 through December 31, then 15,000 pounds until regional harvest is projected to reach 75% of the quota, then 300 pounds until regional harvest is projected to reach the total quota, then no harvest allowed until the following July 1
• Deletes special 25 fish per vessel daily bag limit for Monroe, Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties
• Allows the use of hook and line gear only in this fishery
• Establishes a more efficient mechanism to allow the MFC to annually adjust commercial harvest limits and recreational bag and possession limits

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective December 4, 1991)

• Provides that if the total regional commercial harvest is projected to reach 75% of the quota prior to December 31, a daily limit of 300 pounds per vessel shall apply until the total quota is projected to be reached
• Provides that either region that reaches its full regional quota will close regardless of the date in order to prevent one region from exceeding its 50% share of the total Gulf-Atlantic commercial quota

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

• Establishes a daily vessel limit of 50 fish until half the regional subquota is reached, and then 25 fish until the full regional subquota is reached, from Volusia County to Dade County
• Allows unlimited harvest until 75% of the regional subquota is reached, and then imposes a daily vessel limit of 50 fish until the full regional subquota is reached, from Monroe County to Escambia County
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 20 inches fork length for all harvest of king mackerel

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic & Atlantic Fisheries), CH 46-12 & 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

Establishes a minimum size limit of 20 inches fork length for all harvest of king mackerel.

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

Establishes a 125 fish commercial daily vessel limit for king mackerel harvested on the state's Gulf coast - this commercial daily vessel limit will be reduced to 50 fish when the same limit is established in adjacent federal waters, and to zero fish when federal waters close to the commercial harvest of king mackerel.

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1996)

Requires king mackerel to be landed with heads and fins attached.

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 1996)

Requires king mackerel to be landed with heads and fins attached.

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1997)

Replaces the 50 fish daily commercial vessel limit for the king mackerel Atlantic fishery with the following daily commercial trip limits:

• 3,500 pounds in waters north of the Flagler/Volusia counties line at all times, and in waters off Volusia County from April 1 through October 31
• 500 pounds in waters between the Volusia/Brevard and Dade/Monroe county lines from April 1 through October 31
• 1,250 pounds in waters off Monroe County from April 1 through October 31

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1997)

Establishes a 750 pounds commercial trip limit on Florida's east coast unless 75% of the subquota is reached by February 15 (at which time a 500 pounds limit will apply for the remainder of the season), and changes the Florida west coast trip limits from 125 fish to 1,250 pounds, and 50 fish to 500 pounds.

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-12, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

Establishes a daily 50 fish per vessel trip limit for Gulf group commercial king mackerel fishermen in the Eastern Region from November 1 until the quota is reached, or until March 31, each year.

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 46-30, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

Establishes a daily 50 fish per vessel trip limit for Atlantic group commercial king mackerel fishermen in state waters from Brevard through Dade counties from April 1 through October 31 each year.

KING MACKEREL (Gulf-Atlantic & Atlantic Fisheries), CH 68B-12 & 68B-30, F.A.C. (Effective October 22, 1999)

Increases the minimum size limit for king mackerel from 20 to 24 inches fork length beginning Jan.1, 2000.

KING MACKEREL (Atlantic Fishery), CH 68B-30, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2001)

Increases the commercial vessel daily limit from 50 to 75 fish for king mackerel harvested between Apr. 1 through Oct. 31 each year from Brevard through Dade counties.

LEE COUNTY SHELLS, CH 46-26, F.A.C. (see SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS)

MARINE LIFE, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1991)

• Designates numerous tropical ornamental fishes, invertebrates, and plants commonly collected for aquariums as "restricted species" and "marine life species"
• Longspine urchin harvest and landing prohibited
• Commercial harvest of gorgonian colonies prohibited when adjacent federal waters close
• Total length minimum size limits - commercial harvesters:

  - Butterflyfishes - 1 inch

  - Gray and French angelfishes - 1½ inches

  - Blue and Queen angelfishes - 1 3/4 inches

  - Rock beauty - 2 inches

• Total length maximum size limits - all harvesters:

  - Angelfishes (except Rock beauty) - 10 inches

  - Rock beauty - 6 inches

  - Butterflyfishes and Jawfishes - 4 inches

  - Gobies - 2 inches

• Recreational per person daily bag limit: 20 individuals (no more than 5 angelfishes and 6 gorgonian colonies); one gallon of any combination of plants
• Commercial daily vessel limits:

  - Angelfishes - 75 per person or 150 per vessel, whichever is less

  - Butterflyfishes - 75

• Allowable gear: Hand held net, barrier net and drop net not exceeding 3/4 inch stretched mesh, slurp gun, quinaldine under certain conditions, legal live bait shrimp roller frame trawls for bycatch of tropical fish, bag or container to store catch, and a single blunt rod made of fiberglass or wood not longer than 36 inches with a diameter no greater than 3/4 inch at any point

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1992)

• Revises the marine life species/restricted species lists to include additional species of fish, invertebrates, and plants that are reported to have been landed by marine life fishermen
• Prohibits the harvest of Bahama starfish
• Prohibits the harvest of all marine life species in Biscayne National Park (status quo)
• Strengthens paperwork requirements regarding angelfish imports to assist enforcement of size limits
• Establishes a limit of 200 giant Caribbean or "pink-tipped" anemones per vessel per day
• Allows rods or "tickle sticks" to be composed of any nonferrous metal
• Allows a trawl no larger than 12 inches by 48 inches weighing no more than 5 pounds wet when weighed out of the water and towed by a vessel no greater than 15 feet in length at no greater than idle speed to collect live specimens of the dwarf seahorse
• Requires marine life to be landed alive, and requires marine life harvesters to have an adequate live well or aeration or oxygenation system aboard the vessel to maintain harvested marine life in a healthy condition
• Phases out "live rock" landings, except for certain aquaculture operations, over a 3 year period with 25 percent reductions each year; a 500 pound daily vessel trip limit on "live rock" landings will also apply over this period

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective October 18, 1993)

Deletes landing and harvest phase-out provisions for live rock harvested in federal waters.

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1995)

• Reduces the maximum size limit for all angelfishes (including hybrids) from 10 inches to 8 inches total length - except for rock beauty; the maximum size limit for rock beauty is reduced from 6 inches to 5 inches total length
• Establishes a maximum size limit of 8 inches total length for spotfin (Cuban) and Spanish hogfish, and a minimum size limit of 2 inches total length for Spanish hogfish
• Increases the daily harvest limit on pink tipped anemones (genus Condylactus) from 200 to 400 per person
• Allows persons to possess otherwise prohibited corals on live rock harvested from aquaculture operations, provided that they possess appropriate federal or state permits and provide proper notification to the Florida Marine Patrol (off the water possession by wholesale and retail dealers requires documentation that the corals were legally harvested by a permit holder)
• Replaces the term "gorgonians" in the present rule with the term "octocorals", and define octocoral as an erect, non-encrusting species (in addition, one inch of substrate around the perimeter of the holdfast at the base of the octocoral is allowed to be harvested, as long as such substrate remains attached to the octocoral)
• Changes the fishing year for octocorals to begin October 1 each year
• Requires that all corals harvested in aquaculture operations remain attached to cultured rock
• Requires that live rock harvesters landing rock harvested in federal waters give notice to the Florida Marine Patrol

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Designates porkfish and blue-legged or tri-color hermit crab as "restricted species"
• Renames star-shells (Astraea americana or Astraea phoebia) "starsnails" (Lithopoma americanum or Australium phoebium) in the marine life rule restricted species list, due to changes in nomenclature in the scientific literature
• Renames Stenocionops furcata "Stenocionops furcatus" in the marine life rule restricted species list
• Establishes minimum size limits of 3 inches in length for Cuban or spotfin hogfish, and 1½ inches in length for porkfish
• Establishes daily 50-fish per person/100-fish per vessel (whichever is less) commercial limits for Spanish hogfish and Cuban or spotfin hogfish
• Establishes a daily 75-fish per person/150-fish per vessel (whichever is less) commercial limit for porkfish
• Establishes daily commercial limits of one gallon per person/two gallons per vessel (whichever is less) for starsnails, and one quart per person or vessel (whichever is less) for blue-legged or tricolor hermit crabs
• Prohibits the possession for sale of any native live rock harvested in or from state waters
• Deletes a requirement that persons must possess a saltwater products license, a marine life endorsement, and a restricted species endorsement to land or sell aquacultured live rock from state or federal waters adjacent to state waters (persons harvesting aquacultured live rock in federal waters will be required to possess a valid federal live rock aquaculture permit and a valid state aquaculture certificate - persons harvesting aquacultured live rock from leases in state waters will be required to possess a valid state aquaculture certificate)

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 68B-42, F.A.C. (Effective October 7, 2001)

Removes ocean triggerfish from the Marine Life rule and corrects the scientific name of the triggerfish family and the gray triggerfish.

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 68B-42, F.A.C. (Effective February 28, 2002)

Extends the moratorium on the issuance of new marine life endorsements through June 30, 2005.

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 68B-42, F.A.C. (Effective February 1, 2005)

• Establishes a tiered license system that includes the following three types of marine life endorsements:
  1. Marine Life Transferable Dive Endorsement for people who will collect marine life full-time by diving or with other legal gears; based on an applicant's reported income from landings of marine life species or live rock during one of the license years between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2003; to qualify, a collector must have had at least $5,000 in reported income from marine life landings during one of the qualifying years
  2. Marine Life Bycatch Endorsement for persons who will collect marine life primarily as bycatch in other fisheries with gear other than diving gear and with reported income of less than $5,000 during one of the qualifying years
  3. Marine Life Non-Transferable Dive Endorsement for divers who have less than $5,000 in marine life landings or hold a state live rock lease or federal live rock permit during one of the qualifying years and wish to harvest by diving - allows harvest by diving
• Limits bycatch and non-transferable dive endorsement holders to one Saltwater Products License that can be endorsed. Transferable Dive Endorsement holders may endorse up to two Saltwater Products Licenses, either one vessel and one individual license or two vessel licenses
• Includes provisions regarding qualifying species, re-qualifying and transferability criteria, conversion of endorsements, annual renewal deadlines, an appeals process, prohibiting leasing of endorsements and other related provisions

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 68B-42, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of marine life species, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

MARINE LIFE/LIVE ROCK, CH 68B-42, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2009)

• Adds these species to marine life rule: porcupine fish, spotted burrfish, black brotula, key brotula, yellow stingray, blackbar soldierfish, red mithrax crab, emerald crab, red ridged clinging crab, the star snail lithopoma tectum, all hermit crabs (except land hermits), and nassarius snails
• Allows recreational harvesters to take no more than five of any one marine life species daily within the 20-organism aggregate bag limit and possess no more than a two-day bag limit (up to 40 marine life organisms)
• Increase the maximum size limit for butterflyfish from 4 to 5 inches total length
• Establishes maximum size limits of 9 inches total length for tangs and 12 inches total length for parrotfish
• Changes the daily commercial bag limit for butterflyfish from 75 per vessel to 50 per person or 100 per vessel (if two endorsement-holders are aboard)
• Establishes a commercial daily vessel limit of 400 dwarf seahorses
• Reduces the commercial daily bag limit for condylactis anemones from 400 per vessel to 200 per marine life endorsement holder on a vessel
• Establishes commercial daily bag limits of 400 per vessel for emerald crabs, 1 gallon per person and 2 gallons per vessel for lithopoma tectum (added to the star snail bag limit), and 1 quart per person and 2 quarts per vessel for scarlet reef hermits
• Specifies that all marine life harvesters must take ricordea (a soft coral) and all corallimorph polyps as a single polyp only
• Establishes a commercial daily bag limit for all corallimorph polyps of 100 polyps per person or 200 per vessel (if two endorsement-holders are aboard)
• Establishes a commercial daily bag limit for zoanthid polyps of 1 gallon of polyps per person or 2 gallons per vessel (if two endorsement-holders are aboard)
• Specifies that the only gear allowed to be used by all marine life harvesters for collecting zoanthid and all corallimorph polyps is a flexible blade no wider than 2 inches, such as a paint scraper, putty knife or razor blade
• Allows the harvest of ornamental sponges north of Egmont Key in the Gulf of Mexico to be taken with a 1-inch amount of substrate beyond the holdfast and a 1-inch thick piece of substrate below the holdfast of the sponge.
• Prohibits the harvest of ornamental sponges with substrate in waters south of Egmont Key
• Allows live rock harvest from an aquaculture lease site to count towards the requalification of the marine life transferable dive endorsement
• Restricts quinaldine use to marine life dive and non-transferable dive endorsement holders only
• Applies other administrative and technical rule changes

MITTEN CRAB, Ch. 68A-23.008, F.A.C. (Effective October 10, 2000)

Prohibits all importation, transportation, possession, and sale of mitten crabs or parts in Florida.

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective October 19, 1989)

• Designates mullet as a "restricted species"
• Establishes a daily recreational bag limit of 50 fish per person
• Creates a statewide commercial minimum size limit of 11 inches fork length and retains the 10% undersized allowance, and all commercially harvested mullet must be landed in a whole condition
• Prohibits harvest of commercial quantities of black mullet from sunrise Saturday to sunset Sunday between October 1 and January 15
• Prohibits the commercial harvest of mullet adjacent to the Everglades National Park and seaward of a line 3 nautical miles offshore in all other state waters
• Beginning on July 1, 1992, the rule will require any gill or trammel net used in the mullet fishery to have a stretched mesh size of at least 3 inches
• Establishes a 3½ inch commercial minimum mesh size in the Panhandle Region October 1 - November 30, in the Wakulla-Hernando Region October 15 - December 15, and in the East Coast Region November 1 - December 31 each year
• Establishes a 3 3/4 inch commercial minimum mesh size in the Collier-Monroe Gulf Region November 15 - January 15 each year
• Establishes a 4 inch commercial minimum mesh size in the St. Johns River Region October 1 - December 31 and in the Pasco-Lee Region November 1 - December 31 each year, and also in this region, allows limited use of power assisted gear in the inside waters of Manatee County during the roe season and closes additional waters around Coffee Pot Bayou in Pinellas County, in the Manatee River in Manatee County, and in Charlotte Harbor and Coral Creek in Charlotte County

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1990)

• Prohibits all commercial harvest from noon Friday to sunset Sunday during October 1 - January 31 each year
• Allows commercial harvesters to possess mullet harvested legally prior to the beginning of the weekend in excess of the bag limit under certain conditions
• Prohibits the use of spotter planes to harvest mullet statewide
• Increases the minimum net mesh size in the Collier-Monroe Gulf Region to 4 inches stretched mesh November 15 - January 14 beginning in 1991
• Prohibits all commercial harvest of mullet in the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie river systems
• Allows commercial harvest of mullet in Lake Okeechobee by haul seines subject to Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission restrictions

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1991)

• Changes daily bag limit for recreational fishermen to 50 per person or vessel, whichever is less
• Deletes "restricted species" provisions in the rule for the Panhandle Region

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective October 5, 1992)

• Closes commercial gill net fishing for mullet in Tampa Bay waters of St. Petersburg out to 200 yards offshore from the St. Petersburg Pier to Weedon Island from October 1 through January 31 each year
• Establishes a daily bag limit for mullet in this area and inshore waters in the city of St. Petersburg of five per person or boat, whichever is less

MULLET: PASCO-LEE REGION SEASONAL COMMERCIAL HARVEST CLOSURES, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

Expands the closure period for the commercial harvest of mullet in certain inshore waters of the Manatee and Peace Rivers and Coral Creek to November 1 through January 31 each year.

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective November 16, 1993)

• Prohibits the commercial harvest of mullet from noon Friday through noon Monday each week from July through January (the sale of mullet harvested under the recreational bag limit during this period is also prohibited)
• Prohibits all harvest of mullet during a ten day period beginning at 12 noon on the fourth Friday of December each year (persons are allowed to possess cut up or eviscerated mullet to use as bait aboard vessels during the closures, provided that no net other than a landing or dip net is possessed aboard the vessel)
• Establishes a 500 pound daily commercial trip limit for mullet from July through September each year (two persons fishing pursuant to separate saltwater products licenses with restricted species endorsements aboard a single vessel may possess no more than 1,000 pounds of mullet aboard the vessel; one of these licenses may be applicable to the vessel; the restricted species endorsement provision does not apply to the Panhandle Region)

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

Expands the area around the Tampa Bay shoreline of St. Petersburg that is closed to possession of nets other than a single cast net between October 1 and January 31 each year, to include the waters of Riviera Bay and Bayou Grande (commonly known as Papy's Bayou).

MULLET - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-3, F.A.C. (Effective July 1 - September 28, 1996)

• Prohibits the simultaneous possession of any species of mullet in excess of the recreational bag limit (50 fish) and any gill or entangling net
• Eliminates the July through September 500 pounds commercial daily vessel harvest limit for mullet

MULLET - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-4, F.A.C. (Effective November 7, 1996 - February 5, 1997)

• Establishes the only allowable gear that can be used at any time for the harvest of mullet as cast nets with a radius no greater than 12 feet, 7 inches (no more than 2 such nets may be fished from any vessel at a time); beach or haul seines with a total area no greater than 500 square feet - including any attached material that adds to the fishing surface of the net, such as tarpaulin or plastic (no more than 2 such unconnected nets may be fished from any vessel at any time); hook and line gear; and gigs
• Eliminates the late December/early January weekday closure to the commercial harvest of mullet
• Changes (reduces) weekend commercial mullet harvest closures to begin at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays and end at 8:00 a.m. on Mondays

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective March 3, 1997)

• Establishes the only allowable gear that may be used to harvest mullet as cast nets with a radius no greater than12 feet/7 inches; beach or haul seines; until January 1, 1999 - certain non-bottom fishing skimmer nets (in no case shall any net used be connected or exceed 500 square feet in total area, including any attached material that adds to the fishing surface of the net, and no more than 2 nets may be fished from a vessel at any time); hook and line gear; and gigs
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession of any species of mullet in excess of the daily recreational bag limit (50 fish) and any gill or entangling net, including on separate vessels or vehicles operating together
• Eliminates the July through September 500 pounds commercial daily vessel harvest limit for mullet
• Eliminates the late December/early January closure to the commercial harvest of mullet
• Changes (reduces) weekend commercial mullet harvest closures to begin at 4:00 p.m. on Fridays and end at 8:00 a.m. on Mondays
• Deletes numerous unnecessary mullet rule provisions regarding the use of gill and trammel nets and areal restrictions

MULLET: CHARLOTTE COUNTY SEASONAL NIGHTTIME CLOSURE (Punta Gorda), CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective February 24, 1998)

Prohibits the harvest of mullet between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. within the City of Punta Gorda from November 1 until March 1 each year.

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective November 16, 1998)

• Extends the designation of mullet as a restricted species to waters of the Florida Panhandle west of the Ochlockonee River
• Prohibits the possession and sale of mullet taken in illegal gill or entangling nets

MULLET, CH 46-39, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1998)

Extends the allowance on the use of certain specified skimmer nets to harvest mullet until January 1, 2000.

MULLET, CH 68B-39, F.A.C. (Effective March 30, 2000)

Increases the vessel limit for black mullet from 50 fish to 100 fish daily if two or more licensed persons are aboard during the period Feb. 1 through Aug. 31 each year

MULLET, CH 68B-39, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2001)

Prohibits spearfishing of mullet in freshwater.

MULLET, CH 68B-39, F.A.C. (Effective October 7, 2001)

Establishes the weekend closure to commercial mullet fishing as 12:01 a.m. Saturday until 12:01 a.m. Monday.

MULLET, CH 68B-39, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Designates silver mullet as a restricted species
• Prohibits the commercial harvest of silver mullet during February on the Atlantic coast
• Implements a statewide Saturday-Sunday closure for commercial harvest of silver mullet from July 1 - Jan. 31 and prohibits the sale of silver mullet harvested during this closure
• Implements a statewide aggregate recreational bag limit for both striped and silver mullet of 50 fish per person (from Feb. 1 to Aug. 31, a maximum vessel limit of 100 mullet applies, and from Sep. 1 - Jan. 31, a maximum vessel limit of 50 mullet applies)

MULLET, CH 68B-39, F.A.C. (Effective July 13, 2008)

Allows the commercial harvest of striped mullet on weekends.

OYSTERS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER85-5, F.A.C. (Effective October 1 - December 29, 1985)

Bag limits: 5 bushels of oysters harvested per boat per day in Okaloosa and Walton counties and 20 bushels of oysters per day in Wakulla, Dixie, and Levy counties

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective December 30, 1985)

Extends bag limits (shown above in emergency rule) until all waters of Franklin County are reopened to oyster harvesting.

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective May 5, 1986)

Removes bag limits (as established above) in all counties other than Franklin and Gulf. Reopens Apalachicola Bay to oyster harvesting with the following restrictions:

• No tolerance on harvesting undersized oysters (except for undersized oysters attached to legal-sized oysters too tightly to remove, for which a 15% tolerance exists)
• Daily harvest limit of 15 bags of oysters per boat for commercial fishermen
• Daily harvest limit of 1 bag of oysters per person for recreational fishermen
• Closure to oyster harvesting on any Friday, Saturday, or Sunday
• Closure to oyster harvesting from 4:00 p.m. to sunrise all other days
• Closure to oyster harvesting in East Hole, Platform Bar, and Hotel Bar
• Allowable harvest season of October 1 to June 30, with modified harvest areas
• Establishment of Department of Natural Resources monitoring stations and tagging systems to regulate oyster harvesting

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective December 1, 1986)

Bag limits: 20 bags in Levy and Dixie counties, 15 bags in Wakulla County, and 10 bags in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties (daily, per person or boat, whichever is less)

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective November 26, 1987)

Allows oyster harvesting in North Bay in Bay County in the area west of Bailey Bridge (State Road 77) at all times except between July 1 and September 1 each year, and in the areas east of Bailey Bridge all year.

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective July 7, 1988)

• Authorizes use of dredges on leased lands in Apalachicola Bay under certain conditions
• Prohibits mechanical devices or trawls to harvest oysters from public lands
• Allows recreational harvest of oysters in Apalachicola Bay on weekends
• Designates production zones for purposes of identifying shellstock containers
• Requires washing and shading of oysters
• Deletes obsolete restrictions on number of days allowed for commercial harvest of oysters in Apalachicola Bay and allows DNR Executive Director to open the Bay to commercial harvest on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in certain circumstances
• Allows authorized persons other than Marine Patrol officers to check oysters at monitoring stations
• Requires that tags remain on oyster bags until contents are processed

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1990)

Reinstates the closure of North Bay in Bay County to all harvest of oysters from June 1 through August 31 each year and allows oysters cultivated from eggs by licensed or lawfully allowed mariculture operations to be possessed and sold at sizes below the minimum size limit for purposes of grow-out to legal size under certain conditions.

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective March 10, 1991)

• Establishes a statewide commercial limit of 15 bags daily per person or vessel, whichever is less, except the limit in Levy and Dixie counties is set at 20 bags daily per person or vessel, whichever is less
• Sets a statewide recreational daily limit of two bags per person or vessel, whichever is less
• Establishes a statewide three inch minimum size limit for oysters with a 15 percent tolerance for undersized, attached oysters, and a 5 percent tolerance for undersized, unattached oysters
• Requires persons harvesting oysters from areas where monitoring stations are operating to pass through these stations and comply with all Department of Natural Resources requirements for such stations
• Prohibits the commercial harvest of oysters in Apalachicola on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from July 1 through September 30 and on Saturday and Sunday from October 1 through June 30
• Prohibits the use of trawls, dredges, drags, scrapes, or other mechanical devices (except ordinary hand tongs) for harvesting oysters, and allows oysters to be harvested by hand, while diving, swimming, leaning from vessels, or wading, and by tongs
• Prohibits the harvest of oysters statewide between sunset and sunrise, except where monitoring stations are in operation, in which case harvest is prohibited between 4:00 p.m. and sunrise
• Establishes a statewide harvest season for oysters as October 1 through June 30 each year, except that the season in Dixie and Levy counties shall be September 1 through May 31 each year, and Apalachicola Bay shall have a summer harvest season between July 1 and September 30 each year
• Exempts certain licensed or lawfully allowed mariculture operations from size limits, bag limits, and seasons by meeting certain criteria
• Exempts leaseholders of submerged lands from these rules if pursuant to provisions in valid leases

OYSTERS, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

• Establishes a daily commercial harvest limit of 20 bags of oysters statewide
• Allows the commercial harvest of oysters, during the October through June "winter season" in Apalachicola Bay, seven days a week from November 16 through June 30
• Allows Apalachicola Bay to be closed for health purposes or if the Department of Environmental Protection determines that the harvest of 300 bags of oysters per acre in the Bay is not sustainably

OYSTERS - WAKULLA COUNTY, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective October 3, 1994)

Changes the oyster harvesting season in Wakulla County to occur from September 1 through May 31 each year.

OYSTERS - APALACHICOLA BAY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER94-1, F.A.C. (Effective September 13 - December 12, 1994)

Prohibits the harvest of oysters from Apalachicola Bay from September 13, 1994 through November 13, 1994. Allows commercial fishermen to harvest a daily vessel limit of 10 bushels of oysters on weekdays only from November 14, 1994 through December 12, 1994, and allows recreational fishermen to harvest a daily vessel limit of one bushel of oysters during this period.

OYSTERS - APALACHICOLA BAY, CH 46-27, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Allows the harvest of oysters in Apalachicola Bay on Sundays through Thursdays from July 1 through September 30 each year
• Eliminates the commercial vessel bag limit for oysters in Apalachicola Bay from October 1 through June 30 each year

OYSTERS, CH 68B-27, F.A.C. (Effective October 7, 2001)

Provides that enforcement of the oyster minimum size limit be conducted on the water only.

OYSTERS, CH 68B-27, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 2005)

Changes the Apalachicola Bay winter oyster harvest season from Oct. 1 - June 30 to Sept. 1 - May 31 and the summer season from July 1 - Sept. 30 to June 1 - Aug. 31.

OYSTERS, CH 68B-27, F.A.C. (Effective May 18, 2006)

Allows oysters to be harvested in Apalachicola Bay for commercial purposes any day of the week during the period beginning on November 16 each year through May 31 of the following year.

POMPANO, CH 46-35, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1989)

• Minimum size limit: 10 inches fork length
• Maximum size limit: Prohibits the sale of pompano greater than 20 inches fork length
• Snatch hooking and the use of multiple hooks with natural bait prohibited
• Must be landed in whole condition

POMPANO, AFRICAN POMPANO, PERMIT, CH 46-35, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

FLORIDA POMPANO and PERMIT:

• Establishes 10 inches minimum/20 inches maximum size limits for all harvest of both species
• Establishes an aggregate 10 fish daily recreational bag limit for both species, with an allowance of 1 fish over 20 inches in length
• Pompano - hook and line, cast net, and beach and haul seine gear only / Permit - hook and line gear only
• Prohibits sale of fish less than 10 inches and greater than 20 inches in length

AFRICAN POMPANO:

• Establishes a 24 inches minimum size limit for all harvesters
• Prohibits all daily harvest, possession, and sale of more than 2 fish per person or vessel (whichever is less)
• Allows the use of only hook and line gear

Additional provisions:

• Designates all the above listed species as "restricted species"
• Defines "length" (for purposes of determining size limits for the above species) as the measurement of the fish from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail
• Requires all the above species to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of any such fish that are not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Prohibits the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with natural bait, and snagging (snatch hooking) to harvest the above species in state waters
• Allows size/bag limit exemptions to Florida pompano aquaculture operators who provide proper documentation

POMPANO, AFRICAN POMPANO, PERMIT, CH 68B-35, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 2001)

• Provides that qualified fishermen may harvest pompano with gill nets in specified federal waters adjacent to state waters under certain conditions, which include pompano endorsement or special activity license, vessel length, net specification, and landings requirements
• Allows eligible fishermen to possess a gill net and pompano in specified state and adjacent federal waters
• Provides that commercial fishermen who do not possess a pompano endorsement or special activity license will be subject to existing gear limitations, as well as a daily harvest, possession and sale limit of 250 fish caught per vessel in state waters
• Allows a bycatch of 100 pompano in legal nets targeting other legal species in federal waters

POMPANO, AFRICAN POMPANO, PERMIT, CH 68B-35, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2004)

• Establishes a minimum size limit of 11 inches fork length for all harvest of pompano and permit
• Establishes an aggregate recreational bag limit of six fish daily per person for pompano and permit
• Applies the 250-fish commercial harvest and landing limit for pompano to fish caught in federal as well as state waters (gill net fishermen who possess a pompano endorsement and fish in federal waters between Cape Sable and Hurricane Pass in southwest Florida are not affected by this action)
• Eliminates the pompano special activity license program

POMPANO, AFRICAN POMPANO, PERMIT, CH 68B-35, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2005)

Establishes a vessel possession limit of two permit and pompano larger than 20 inches fork length in state and federal waters.

PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE RULE PROVISIONS: TITLE 46, F.A.C. RULE REPEALS (Effective July 15, 1996)

Deletes language establishing what constitutes prima facie evidence for violation or establishing a presumption. Rules amended by this action include gear, Biscayne Bay-Card Sound Spiny Lobster Sanctuary, king mackerel, reef fish, queen conch, bay scallops, oysters, sardines, shrimp, billfish, black drum, mullet, dolphin, and marine life.

PUFFER FISH, PROHIBITION ON TAKE IN VOLUSIA, BREVARD, INDIAN RIVER, ST. LUCIE AND MARTIN COUNTIES, CH 68B-3.007, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

Prohibits all harvest of puffer fish from the waters of Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.

QUEEN CONCH, CH 46-16, F.A.C. (Effective June 17, 1985)

Prohibits any person from taking, harvesting, killing, molesting, harming, or mutilating any queen conch from the land or waters of Florida.

QUEEN CONCH, CH 46-16, F.A.C. (Effective December 11, 1986)

Extends existing rule (shown above) to persons aboard Florida registered vessels in federal waters contiguous to Florida waters.

QUEEN CONCH, CH 46-16, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1990)

Prevents persons in vessels registered in other states from harvesting queen conch in adjacent federal waters and landing the animals in Florida.

QUEEN CONCH, CH 46-16, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1991)

Designated as "protected species".

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective September 12, 1985)

• Minimum size limits: 16 inches total length in state waters from Florida/Alabama border east and south to a straight line drawn from Bowlegs Point in Dixie County southwesterly through Marker 16, and 18 inches total length in all other state waters
• Maximum size limit: Statewide possession limit of one redfish 32 inches total length, or larger, per person

RED DRUM (REDFISH) - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER86-3, F.A.C. (Effective November 7, 1986 - February 4, 1987)

Prohibits all harvest of redfish in Florida waters. Prohibits sale of native redfish.

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective February 12, 1987)

• 18 inches total length minimum size limit extended to all state waters
• Establishes March and April as closed season to all harvest in state waters
• Must be landed in whole condition (head and tail intact)
• Prohibits use of treble hooks while fishing with natural bait
• Prohibits snatch hooking

RED DRUM (REDFISH) - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER87-1, F.A.C. (Effective May 1, 1987 - July 29, 1987)

Prohibits all harvest in state waters. Prohibits possession, transportation, buying, selling, or exchanging any native redfish.

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 1987)

Continues emergency rule above for an indefinite period.

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective October 1 - December 31, 1987)

Temporary season opening for redfish to include:

• 1 fish daily bag limit for recreational fishermen, with off-the-water possession limit of 2 fish
• 5 fish daily bag limit per boat for commercial fishermen
• Size limit of 18 inches to 27 inches total length
• Use of treble hooks while fishing with natural bait prohibited
• Fish must be landed in whole condition (heads and tails intact)
• Redfish designated as "restricted species"
• Prohibits harvest of native redfish beginning 1/1/88; sale of native redfish allowed until 1/5/88

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1989 - October 1, 1991)

• Establishes 18 inches minimum size limit and 27 inches maximum size limit for redfish harvested in state waters
• Establishes daily bag limit of 1 native redfish per person and an off-the-water possession limit of 2 fish per person
• Prohibits the sale of native redfish
• Closes the months of March, April, and May to harvest and possession of redfish
• Allows the sale of redfish harvested elsewhere with proper documentation

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1991)

Continues above rule indefinitely, declares redfish as a "protected species", and prohibits gigging and spearing of redfish.

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 46-22, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

• Eliminates the March, April, and May closed season
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession aboard a vessel of any gill net or entangling net together with any red drum
• Requires all red drum to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of red drum that are not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Defines "total length" for red drum to mean the length of the fish measured from the most forward point of the head to the hindmost point of the tail

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 68B-22, F.A.C. (Effective March 17, 2004)

Allows the executive director of the FWC, or a designee, to issue permits to participants in qualified catch and release redfish tournaments to catch, hold, and release fish under the following conditions:

• Tournament competitors and staff must attempt to release all redfish alive, including those fish that are weighed in
• Best management practices must be used for handling of fish
• Tournament boats must contain aerated or re-circulating live wells, with a minimum size of 18-gallons or the volumetric equivalent
• Dead redfish may not be discarded when fish are caught, held, and released
• Redfish must be placed in recovery tanks after weigh-in before being released
• The tournament must provide the FWC with a description of the release location (as a condition of the exemption permit, the FWC may specify the tournament release location)
• The tournament must submit a post-tournament report
• The tournament must agree to allow the FWC the opportunity to conduct research and onboard monitoring, as needed
• Two-person tournament teams may possess two redfish
• Tournament catch, hold, and release permits may only be issued to catch-and-release redfish tournaments that agree to all permit conditions
• All tournament competitors must possess a copy of the tournament catch, hold, and release exemption permit during the tournament

RED DRUM (REDFISH), CH 68B-22, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of red drum, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

REEF FISH (formerly SNAPPER, GROUPER, AND SEA BASS), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 29, 1985)

Minimum size limits:

• Red, mutton, yellowtail snappers - 12 inches
• Yellowfin, black, gag, red, Nassau groupers and jewfish - 18 inches
• Black and southern sea bass - 8 inches

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective December 11, 1986)

• Snapper Bag limit: 10 per recreational fisherman daily, with off-the-water possession limit of 20 per recreational fisherman, for any combination of snapper, excluding lane, vermillion, and yelloweye
• Grouper Bag limit: 5 per recreational fisherman daily, with off-the-water possession limit of 10 per recreational fisherman, for any combination of groupers, excluding rock hind and red hind
• Use of longline gear by commercial fishermen prohibited; bycatch allowance of 5% is permitted harvesters of other species using this gear
• Use of stab nets (or sink nets) to take snapper or grouper is prohibited in Atlantic waters of Monroe County
• 5% of snapper and grouper in possession of harvester may be smaller than the minimum size limit
• Must be landed in whole condition (head and tail intact)

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective February 1, 1990)

• Designates all snapper and grouper as "restricted species"
• Designates red snapper and jewfish as protected species
• Prohibits all harvest, possession, and sale of jewfish from Florida waters
• Minimum size limits:

  Red snapper - 13 inches

  Queen, mutton, blackfin, cubera, dog, mahogany, silk, and yellowtail snapper - 12 inches

  Gray/mangrove and schoolmaster snapper - 10 inches (the sale of these species of total length less than 12 inches is prohibited)

  Lane and vermillion snapper - 8 inches

  Sea basses - 8 inches

  Yellowfin, black, gag, red, Nassau, and yellowmouth grouper and scamp - 20 inches

  • Recreational bag limits: 10 daily per person for any combination of snapper, not including lane and vermillion (no more than 5 may be gray/mangrove snapper and no more than 2 may be red snapper); 5 daily per person for any combination of grouper
  • Off-the-water recreational possession limits: 20 per person for any combination of snapper, not including lane and vermillion (no more than 10 may be gray/mangrove snapper and no more than 4 may be red snapper); 10 per person for any combination of grouper
  • Allowable gear: Hook and line, black sea bass trap, spear, gig, or lance (except powerheads, bangsticks, or explosive devices) for snapper and grouper
  • All commercial harvest of any species of snapper, grouper, and sea bass is prohibited in state waters whenever harvest of that species is prohibited in adjacent federal waters
  • Snapper and grouper must be landed in whole condition

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective February 1, 1990)

• Designated as a "restricted species"
• Minimum size limits: 28 inches fork length (the sale of an amberjack of less than 36 inches fork length or 28 inches with head-only removed is prohibited)
• Recreational bag limit: 3 daily per person
• Off-the-water possession limit: 6 per person
• Must be landed in a whole condition (may be landed with head-only removed for commercial harvest)
• All commercial harvest of amberjack in state waters is prohibited whenever harvest of amberjack is prohibited in adjacent federal waters
• A federal reef fish permit to harvest amberjack is required any time this permit is required in adjacent federal waters

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1992)

• Requires the appropriate federal permit in order to exceed snapper/grouper bag limits and to purchase or sell snapper/grouper on the state's Gulf coast
• Establishes vermillion snapper minimum size limits of 10 inches for recreational fishermen and 12 inches for commercial fishermen on the state's Atlantic coast
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 20 inches for red snapper on the state's Atlantic coast
• Prohibits the harvest of Nassau grouper from state waters
• Restricts all harvest of mutton snapper in May and June to the bag limit for this species

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1992)

• Requires the appropriate federal permit in order to exceed the amberjack bag limit and to purchase or sell amberjack on the state's Gulf coast
• Restricts all harvest of amberjack in April and May to the bag limit for this species
• Requires all amberjack species to be landed with heads and tails intact (the coring provision for greater amberjack still applies)
• Prohibits persons from harvesting greater amberjack under both recreational and commercial rules on the same trip

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective October 18, 1993)

Allows persons who possess either a Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic federal reef fish permit to commercially harvest snappers and groupers (except red snapper) in all state waters, until July 1, 1995.

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1994)

• Establishes a daily bag limit of ten vermilion snapper harvested from the Atlantic Ocean per recreational fisherman, and not count these fish in the aggregate bag limit for other snappers
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 16 inches for mutton snapper
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 12 inches for red porgy harvested in state waters of the Atlantic Ocean
• Effective July 1, 1994, designates hogfish as a "restricted species", establishes a minimum size limit of 12 inches fork length for hogfish, and establishes a daily recreational bag limit of 5 hogfish per person
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 12 inches for gray triggerfish, effective January 1, 1995
• Establishes a daily bag limit for cubera snapper of two per person or boat, whichever is less, for all fishermen, for fish 30 inches in length or larger (smaller cubera snapper are included in the 10 snapper aggregate recreational bag limit)
• Allows a two-day possession limit for reef fish statewide for persons aboard charter and headboats on trips exceeding 24 hours provided that the vessel is equipped with a permanent berth for each passenger aboard, and each passenger has a receipt verifying the trip length
• Modifies rule language to provide the same state and federal definitions of Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean regions
• Establishes vessel trip limits of one speckled hind and one warsaw grouper for all fishermen in state waters
• Prohibits the sale of warsaw grouper and speckled hind harvested in state waters
• Sets the minimum size limit for red snapper on the state's Gulf coast at 14 inches, and then at 15 inches effective January 1, 1996, and 16 inches effective January 1, 1998

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1995)

Continues the allowance of persons to possess either the proper South Atlantic or Gulf permit to harvest reef fish for commercial purposes through December 31, 1995.

REEF FISH - BLACK SEA BASS TRAPS, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective October 4, 1995)

Establishes degradability requirements for black sea bass traps. Such traps are considered to have a legal degradable panel if:

• The trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap by a single loop of untreated Jute twine, and the trap lid is secured so that when the jute degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed, or
• The trap lid tie-down strap is secured to one end with a corrodible hook composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, and the trap lid is secured so that when the hook degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high and 3 inches wide, and the opening is laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a single length of untreated jute twine knotted only at each end and not tied or looped more than once around a single mesh bar; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the jute degrades, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be obstructed with an untreated pine slat or slats no thicker than 3/8 inch; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the slat degrades, or
• The trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner or be obstructed with a panel of ferrous single-dipped galvanized wire mesh made of 24 gauge or thinner wire

REEF FISH - COMMERCIAL HARVEST, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

Continues to allow persons to possess either the proper South Atlantic or Gulf permit to harvest reef fish for commercial purposes through December 31, 1996.

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

Establishes a 5 fish daily bag limit on red snapper for all harvesters on the state's Gulf of Mexico coast, and prohibits the sale of red snapper when federal sale closures occur in Gulf of Mexico waters.

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective April 1, 1996)

Prohibits the sale of all amberjack species (including greater and lesser amberjack, banded rudderfish, and Almaco jack) during the April/May closed commercial season.

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1996)

In Monroe County waters only, reduces the recreational bag limit for amberjack of any species (including greater and lesser amberjack, banded rudderfish, and Almaco jack) to one fish harvested daily per person.

REEF FISH - COMMERCIAL HARVEST, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective November 27, 1996)

Continues to allow persons to possess either the proper South Atlantic or Gulf permit to harvest reef fish for commercial purposes through December 31, 1997.

REEF FISH - VERMILION SNAPPER, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

Establishes a 10 inches minimum size limit for vermilion snapper harvested in all state waters (to conform with federal rules).

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

• Reduces the recreational daily bag limit for greater amberjack to 1 fish per person statewide
• Prohibits the sale of any amberjack species (greater and lesser amberjack, Almaco jack, and banded rudderfish) during March, April, and May each year
• Prohibits the sale of any amberjack species less than 36 inches fork length at any time
• Requires all amberjack to be landed in a whole condition (including such fish harvested commercially)
• Establishes 14 inches minimum/22 inches maximum fork length size limits and an aggregate recreational daily bag limit of 5 fish per person for banded rudderfish and lesser amberjack

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective August 17, 1998)

• Reduces the recreational bag limit for red snapper from 5 fish per day to 4 fish per day (including captain and crew on for-hire vessels)
• Modifies the federal commercial license requirement in the reef fish rule to correctly reference new Gulf red snapper commercial limited entry permits

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1998)

Provides an automatic closure of state waters to Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper harvest when federal waters are closed to such harvest, effective November 1, 1998.

REEF FISH, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1998)

• Modifies black and gag grouper management in Atlantic Ocean state waters only by establishing a 2 fish daily recreational bag limit (within the 5 fish daily aggregate limit for all groupers), increasing the minimum size limit from 20 to 24 inches total length, and prohibiting the harvest and possession in excess of the recreational bag limit and purchase and sale of black and gag grouper during March and April
• Increases the minimum size limit on black sea bass from 8 to 10 inches total length statewide, establishes a 20 fish daily recreational aggregate bag limit on black sea bass in Atlantic state waters only, and requires escape vents on sea bass pots statewide
• Establishes a 14 inches total length minimum size limit and a 5 fish daily recreational bag limit for red porgies, and prohibits the harvest and sale in excess of the bag limit and all sale of red porgies in March and April (these provisions apply in Atlantic state waters only)
• Requires that all reef fish species managed in Florida be landed in a whole condition, and designate all such species as "restricted species"
• Standardizes commercial closure language in Commission reef fish rules
• Prohibits all possession of Nassau grouper
• Specifies that the 1 fish daily recreational bag limits for speckled hind and Warsaw grouper are within the 5 fish aggregate daily grouper bag limit
• Revises the name of the federal licenses required to harvest amberjack in the South Atlantic to conform with federal changes

REEF FISH - MONROE COUNTY GAG & BLACK GROUPER, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1999)

These rules, effective in all Monroe County state waters:

• Increase the minimum size limit for black and gag grouper from 20 to 24 inches total length
• Establish a 2 fish daily recreational bag limit (within the 5 fish daily aggregate limit for all groupers) for black and gag grouper
• Prohibit the harvest, possession, or landing of black and gag grouper in excess of the recreational bag limit and the purchase, sale, or exchange of black and gag grouper during March and April

REEF FISH - BLACK SEA BASS TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Allows the use on black sea bass traps of trap lid tie-down straps secured at one end by a loop composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, 2 X 3/8 inch non-treated pine dowels or squares to replace the hook on tie-down straps, a 3 X 6 inch panel attached to the trap opening with 24 gauge or less wire or single strand jute
• Prohibits the use of a 24 gauge hook or tie-down strap on black sea bass traps

REEF FISH - EMERGENCY OPENING OF STATE RED SNAPPER FISHERY IN GULF WATERS, CH 68BER99-1, F.A.C. (Effective August 3, 1999)

• Allows the Gulf of Mexico recreational red snapper fishery to remain open in Florida waters from August 29, 1999 through October 31, 1999
• Limits fishermen to a daily bag limit of 2 red snapper no less than 16 inches in total length harvested from state waters during this period

REEF FISH - RED PORGY, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective October 22, 1999)

Closes Atlantic state waters to the recreational harvest of red porgy through March 5, 2000.

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1999)

Establishes an April 15 - October 31 open season for the recreational harvest of red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2000)

• Merges amberjack rules into the current reef fish rule chapter
• Conforms amberjack commercial licensing requirements to those of reef fish (with a clarification that the appropriate federal commercial permit is a condition of sale for all species in the rule)
• Eliminates the 5-day commercial season closure extension in the reef fish rule
• Restores the documentation requirement for reef fish species possessed during a closure period
• Includes the 1-fish-daily vessel limit for speckled hind and warsaw grouper within the 5-fish grouper aggregate bag limit
• Increases the maximum size limit for banded rudderfish and lesser amberjack from 20 to 22 inches in length

REEF FISH - RED PORGY, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 6, 2000)

Prohibits all harvest of Atlantic red porgy from state waters.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2001)

• Raises the minimum size limit of Gulf of Mexico gag and black grouper to 24 inches total length for commercial harvesters
• Establishes a Feb. 15 to Mar. 15 closed season for the commercial harvest of Gulf gag, black, and red grouper

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2001)

Increases the minimum size limit of gag and black grouper to 22 inches total length for recreational harvesters in Gulf of Mexico state waters.

REEF FISH - RED PORGY, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 2001)

For Atlantic red porgy, this rule:

• Allows a one fish per person daily recreational bag limit and a 50 pound commercial vessel limit
• Establishes a minimum size limit of 14 inches total length
• Prohibits commercial harvest and sale January through April (permitted commercial and for-hire vessels are allowed a one fish per person daily bag limit)

REEF FISH - AMBERJACK (formerly AMBERJACK, CH 46-40), CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 2001)

Establishes a 1,000-pound commercial daily vessel limit for greater amberjack harvested from Atlantic state waters.

REEF FISH - SEA BASSES & RED PORGY, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 2001)

Withdraws federal permit requirements for the commercial harvest of sea basses and red porgy in the Gulf of Mexico.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2003)

• Clarifies that imported reef fishes must comply with Florida's legal minimum size limits
• Includes a listing of minimum size limits for importation of 19 reef fish species
• Reduces the minimum size limit of red snapper commercially harvested from Gulf state waters from 16 to 15 inches total length
• Reduces the minimum size limit for all harvest of scamp from Gulf state waters from 20 inches to 16 inches total length
• Changes the term "jewfish" to "goliath grouper" to reflect a change to the common name for this species
• Deletes the rule designation of red snapper and goliath grouper (formerly jewfish) as protected species
• Reorganizes and simplifies various reef fish rule provisions
• Changes rule language regarding possession of mutton snapper, red porgy and amberjack during commercial trips to correspond with federal regulations
• Deletes a provision pertaining to closure notices for state waters when adjacent federal waters close

REEF FISH - BLACK SEA BASS TRAPS, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

Establishes a September 20 through October 4 closure to use of black sea bass traps in all Gulf of Mexico state waters between three and nine miles from shore.

REEF FISH - RED GROUPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 3, 2005)

Establishes a two-fish daily bag limit for recreational harvest of red grouper in Gulf of Mexico state waters.

REEF FISH - GROUPER VESSEL TRIP LIMIT, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective May 20, 2005)

Applies a grouper vessel trip limit for vessels harvesting commercially in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The vessel trip limit is 10,000 pounds from January 1 until such time as the National

Marine Fisheries Service reduces the vessel trip limit in adjacent federal waters to 7,500 pounds or 5,500 pounds, in which case the Director of the Division of Marine Fisheries Management shall order a consistent reduction in the vessel trip limit in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The grouper vessel limit shall be restored to 10,000 pounds on January 1 of the following year. All grouper species listed in Ch. 68B-14.001(2)(b), F.A.C., except bank sea bass and black sea bass, are included in the grouper vessel trip limit.

REEF FISH - BLACK SEA BASS TRAPS, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 17, 2005)

• Requires each trap used for harvesting black sea bass to have the trap owner's Saltwater Products License (SPL) number permanently attached
• Each buoy attached to these traps shall have the letter "B" and the owner's SPL number affixed to it in legible figures at least 1.5 inches high
• Requires a buoy or time-release buoy must be attached to each black sea bass trap or at each end of a weighted trap trotline. The buoy must be constructed of Styrofoam, cork, molded polyvinyl chloride, or molded polystyrene, be of sufficient strength and buoyancy to float, and be either white in color or the same color as the owner's blue crab or stone crab buoy colors. These buoys must be either spherical in shape with a diameter no smaller than six inches, or some other shape that is no shorter than 10 inches in the longest dimension and the width at some point exceeds five inches

REEF FISH - VERMILION SNAPPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective September 16, 2005)

• Raises the statewide recreational minimum size limit for vermilion snapper from 10 to 11 inches total length
• Increases the commercial minimum size limit for vermilion snapper from 10 to 11 inches total length in Gulf of Mexico state waters
• Establishes a recreational daily bag limit of 10 fish per person in Gulf state waters
• Establishes a closed season to the commercial harvest of vermilion snapper in Gulf state waters from April 22 through May 31

REEF FISH - RED GROUPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2006)

Reduces the daily recreational bag limit for red grouper harvested in the Gulf of Mexico from two fish per person to one fish per person.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

• Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of reef fish species, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side
• Changes the legal measurement for gray triggerfish from total length to fork length

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2007)

• Allows the Atlantic recreational harvest of one golden tilefish and one snowy grouper within the five-fish daily aggregate grouper bag limit
• Increases the daily recreational bag limit for Atlantic red porgy from one fish to three fish per person
• Increases the recreational minimum size limit for Atlantic vermilion snapper from 11 to 12 inches total length
• Sets commercial trip limits in the Atlantic that are the same as trip limits in federal waters
• Increases the recreational minimum size limit for Atlantic black sea bass from 10 inches total length to 11 inches total length in 2007, and then to 12 inches total length in 2008, and establishes a June 1 - May 31 harvest season
• Requires a minimum 2-inch mesh for the back panel of black sea bass traps in the Atlantic, and requires removal of black sea bass traps in the Atlantic when the commercial quota is reached
• Decreases the Gulf commercial and recreational minimum size limit for vermilion snapper from 11 to 10 inches total length
• Eliminates the April 22 through May 31 closed season for Gulf commercial harvest of vermilion snapper
• Establishes a zero bag limit for Gulf gag, red and black grouper for captains and crew on for-hire vessels
• Removes the requirement for Class I and Class II Gulf commercial red snapper licenses
• Designates golden tilefish as a "restricted species"
• Changes the minimum size limit of vermillion snapper imported into Florida from 11 to 10 inches total length
• Prohibits commercial fishermen from harvesting or possessing the recreational bag limit of reef fish species on commercial trips

REEF FISH - BLACK SEA BASS TRAPS, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 12, 2008)

Allows the use of black sea bass traps to 8 cubic feet in volume.

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER AND REEF FISH GEAR, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective April 1, 2008)

• Reduces the Gulf recreational and commercial daily bag limit for red snapper from 4 fish to 2 fish per person
• Establishes a zero Gulf red snapper daily bag limit for captains and crew of for-hire vessels
• Reduces the minimum size for commercially harvested red snapper in the Gulf and for imported red snapper from 15 to 13 inches total length
• Requires all commercial and recreational anglers fishing for any Gulf reef fish species to use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting tools, beginning June 1, 2008

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2009)

• Establishes a two-fish per person recreational daily bag limit for Gulf gag grouper within the five grouper aggregate limit
• Prohibits the recreational harvest of Gulf gag grouper from Feb. 1 through March 31
• Establishes a two-fish per person recreational daily bag limit for Gulf red grouper within the five grouper aggregate limit
• Increases the recreational minimum size limit for Gulf greater amberjack from 28 to 30 inches fork length
• Increases the commercial and recreational minimum size limit for Gulf gray triggerfish from 12 to 14 inches fork length

REEF FISH - RED SNAPPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective March 13, 2009)

Changes the recreational open harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters to June 1 through Sept. 30.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective August 7, 2009)

Changes the recreational harvest season for red snapper in Gulf of Mexico state waters from June 1 through September 30 to June 1 through August 14.

REEF FISH, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective August 27, 2009)

• Decreases the daily recreational aggregate bag limit for grouper from five fish to four per person in Gulf of Mexico state waters, except in Monroe Country
• Establishes a February 1 - March 31 closed spawning season for all recreational harvest of shallow-water groupers (gag, black, red, yellowfin, scamp, yellowmouth, rock hind and red hind) in Gulf state waters, except in Monroe County
• Reduces the commercial minimum-size limit for Gulf red grouper, and for all importation and sale of red grouper, from 20 inches to 18 inches total length

REEF FISH – VERMILION SNAPPER, CH 68B-14, F.A.C. (Effective October 16, 2009)

• Reduces the daily recreational bag limit for vermilion snapper in Atlantic state waters from 10 fish to 5 fish per person
• Prohibits the captain and crew on for-hire vessels in the Atlantic from keeping vermilion snapper
• Establishes a November 1 - March 31 closed season to all harvest of vermilion snapper in Atlantic state waters

SANIBEL SHELLS, CH 46-26, F.A.C. (see SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS)

SARASOTA COUNTY SPECIAL ACTS, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective August 15, 1994)

Deletes language that previously repealed a population law regarding net fishing in Sarasota County.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, F.A.C. (Effective April 1, 1989)

Establishes a season of April 1 - March 31 for commercial harvest of sardines in the Tampa Bay area and provides for early season closure when harvest is projected to reach 4.1 million pounds prior to the end of the established season. If the season closes, a vessel limit of 500 pounds per day will apply in the region until the following April 1. The rule also prohibits the commercial harvest of sardines in Tampa Bay proper and within 500 yards of the beaches off Pinellas and Manatee counties.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1991)

Supersedes provisions of above rule (except commercial closure in Tampa Bay) and sets 500 pound daily vessel and landing limit for commercial harvesters in waters off Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1995)

Allows persons in the West Central Florida Region (state waters of Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties) to possess more than 500 pounds of frozen or partially frozen processed packaged sardines for use as bait or the transiting of state waters with such bait to fish in federal waters adjacent to the region.

SHAD AND RIVER HERRING, CH 46-52, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1997)

Repeals previous shad statutes and instead:

• Establishes an aggregate daily bag and possession limit for American shad, Alabama shad, and hickory shad of 10 per person
• Allows only hook and line gear to be used to harvest any shad or river (blueback) herring - such fish harvested by any other gear must be returned to the water free, alive, and unharmed (the temporary possession while releasing the fish is allowed)

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, F.A.C. (Effective April 8, 1992)

• Establishes a daily bag limit of one shark per person and a maximum possession limit of two sharks harvested from state waters aboard a vessel for both recreational and commercial fishermen
• Requires that commercial shark fishermen have a federal permit to fish in state waters, beginning July 1, 1992
• Establishes harvest season for sharks as July 1 - June 30 each year
• Prohibits all commercial harvest of sharks in state waters whenever federal waters close to the harvest of large coastal sharks (the sale of sharks and shark fins harvested from state waters is prohibited beginning 31 days after any state waters closure)
• Prohibits "finning" (removing shark fins and returning the remainder of the carcass to the sea); however, fins may be removed from the shark while at sea, provided that the number of unattached fins in possession are in a proportion of at least one shark carcass for every five fins landed
• Requires that sharks be released in a manner that will ensure maximum probability of survival
• Prohibits sharks caught by recreational fishermen from being transferred at sea and prohibits all sale of sharks caught by recreational fishermen
• Prohibits all harvest, landing, and sale of sawsharks, sawfish, basking sharks, whale sharks, and spotted eagle rays in state waters, and declares these animals as "protected species"

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, F.A.C. (Effective February 14, 1994)

• Prohibits the removal of any shark fin from a shark harvested in state waters prior to landing
• Prohibits persons returning from federal waters, with sharks or shark fins harvested in such waters, from fishing in state waters
• Conforms commercial season closure provisions with federal rules, and prohibits the sale of sharks whenever adjacent federal waters are closed to commercial shark fishing

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

• Declares sand tiger sharks, bigeye sand tiger sharks, white sharks, and manta rays as protected species and prohibits the harvest of these species; in addition, sawsharks are removed from this designation
• Closes state waters to the commercial harvest and sale of small or large coastal sharks when adjacent federal waters close to this fishery
• Prohibits filleting sharks at sea (the evisceration and removal of heads and tails of sharks on vessels is not prohibited)

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Prohibits all harvest, possession and sale of spiny dogfish
• Eliminates the six-month shark closure periods
• Closes state waters automatically to only shark species that are affected by a federal closure

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, F.A.C. (Effective March 9, 2006)

Renamed the "protected species" list the "prohibited species" list, and added Atlantic angel shark, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher shark, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, longfin mako shark, narrowtooth shark, night shark, sevengill shark, sixgill shark, and smalltail shark to the list.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, F.A.C. (Effective October 15, 2007)

Updates references to federal shark fishing regulations.

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST FLORIDA LIVE BAIT FISHERY, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective December 11, 1986)

Allows licensed live bait shrimp producers harvesting live bait shrimp in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay counties inland waters to use a single trawl with an opening no greater than 60 feet along its perimeter, and the net mesh must be attached under certain specifications. No devices may be used to precede or enlarge the opening of the trawl, and no other type gear is allowed.

SHRIMP - TOW TIMES AND USE OF TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER89-1, F.A.C. (Effective January 24, 1989)

Requires persons operating trawls in state waters north of the Brevard-Volusia county line and east of the Colregs Demarcation Line to reduce trawl tow times to a maximum of 75 minutes through January 31, 1989. Beginning February 1, 1989, turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in the trawls will be required for the remainder of the 90-day term of the emergency rule. The TEDs to be used must be of a type approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES - Emergency Rule, 46ER89-3, F.A.C. (Effective August 9, 1989- November 7, 1989)

Requires the use of a qualified TED in any trawl vessel 25 feet or greater in length in any offshore waters, and prohibits possession of a trawl rigged for fishing that does not have a qualified TED aboard any vessel 25 feet or greater in length in offshore waters. Any person operating a fishing trawl from a vessel less than 25 feet in length in offshore waters will not be required to use a TED as long as each tow time is limited to 90 minutes.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective November 8, 1989 until permanent rule becomes effective)

Renews above emergency rule.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective June 11, 1990)

Prohibits persons from operating or fishing in any state waters any trawl that is not equipped with a qualified TED, and prohibits possession by any person aboard any vessel in or on state waters of any trawl rigged for fishing that is not equipped with a qualified TED. The altering of any TED in order to render it nonfunctioning is also prohibited. This rule does not apply to:

• A single test net having a headrope length of 20 feet or less if it is pulled immediately in front of any other net or trawl or is not connected to another net or trawl in any way
• A roller frame trawl with a rectangular rigid frame to keep the mouth of the trawl open while being towed, rollers on the lower horizontal beam of the frame to allow the trawl to roll over the bottom and any obstructions while being towed, a grid of vertical bars spaced no more than 3 inches apart shielding the trawl opening, and no doors attached to keep the mouth of the trawl open (in addition, the trawl must be towed by attaching a line or towing cable to a tongue located above or at the center of the upper beam of the frame)
• Trawls used as part of experiments sanctioned by the National Marine Fisheries Service
• Any trawl operated, fished, or on a vessel and rigged for fishing with a headrope length not greater than 35 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 100 feet, while in the inside waters of the state (defined as all waters landward of the Colregs Demarcation Line)

SHRIMP, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1992)

• Sets a recreational daily bag limit of 5 gallons of shrimp, heads on, per person or vessel, whichever is less, and requires recreationally harvested shrimp to be landed in a whole condition (heads on)
• Allows recreational fishermen to use only landing or dip nets with an opening no larger than 96 inches around the perimeter, cast nets, push nets, one frame net with an opening no larger than 16 feet around the perimeter, legal shrimp traps, beach or haul seines no greater than 100 feet in length, and an otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 16 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 48 feet
• Allows recreational fishermen to use a cast net in conjunction with non-metal poles to bait shrimp under certain conditions
• Allows harvesters of live bait shrimp to only use a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beams greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no more than 3 inches apart, no more than two such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time, and a minimum net mesh size of 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net body and ½ inch bar measurement in the net bag (live bait shrimp harvesters in state waters of Brevard through Nassau counties including all areas of the St. Johns River where current law permits are also allowed to use a legal otter trawl; live bait shrimp harvesters in Volusia County are allowed to use legal wing nets)
• Requires harvesters and dealers of live bait shrimp to use live wells of certain specifications on board vessels and during land transport and storage
• Prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from operating as a food shrimp producer or recreational harvester on the same trip, requires shrimp harvested as bait to be sold as bait, prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from transferring such shrimp to another vessel in state waters, and prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from possessing more than 5 gallons of heads on dead shrimp aboard vessels at any time
• Prohibits food shrimp producers statewide from possessing more than 47 heads on/70 heads off shrimp per pound (except seabobs), from using a brine box to separate shrimp from bycatch, and from operating as a live bait shrimp producer or a recreational harvester on the same trip - persons harvesting shrimp in state waters may use a single try net with a headrope length not greater than 10 feet in inshore waters and 20 feet in offshore waters and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 30 feet in inshore waters and 60 feet in offshore waters if such net is pulled immediately in front of another trawl or trawls or is not in any way connected to another trawl (such net shall also have a legal mesh size)

Allows food shrimp producers to only use the following gear:

• Escambia through Franklin counties (inshore waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; a single otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 50 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 150 feet, or two otter trawls, each with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge not greater than 75 feet (two legal trawls may be connected and each attached to a sled as long as the trawls are continuously separated at least 10 feet apart during trawling); minimum net mesh size - 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid turtle excluder device (TED), the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than ½ inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Wakulla through Pasco counties (all state waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length (beginning January 1, 1994), vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, a mesh size of not less than 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch in the net bag, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time
• Pinellas through Collier counties (inshore waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; except in Tampa Bay, a single otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 75 feet, or in Tampa Bay, no more than two otter trawls, each with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 75 feet (two legal trawls may be connected and each attached to a sled as long as the trawls are continuously separated at least 10 feet apart during trawling; minimum net mesh size - 7/8 inch bar measurement in the net body and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid TED, the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than 5/8 inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Monroe through Indian River counties (inshore waters) - a wing net or frame net with an opening no larger than 28 feet around the perimeter (no more than two wing nets may be attached to or fished from a single vessel), and wing nets and frame nets may not be towed or dragged over the bottom
• Brevard through Nassau counties, including all of the St. Johns River [inshore waters, except as provided for Volusia County in Rule 46-3.008(3)(g)] - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; an otter trawl with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 100 feet, no more than one such trawl to be towed by a single vessel; minimum net mesh size - 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid TED, the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than ½ inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Prohibits food shrimp producers from operating within the Tortugas Shrimp Beds, except as authorized by federal regulations in Exclusive Economic Zone waters

SHRIMP - BIG BEND/NORTHWEST REGIONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER92-1, F.A.C. (Effective March 3, 1992 - June 1, 1992)

Redefines boundary between the Big Bend and Northwest Regions established in the shrimp rule in order to regulate food shrimp production gear.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER92-2, F.A.C. (Effective March 3, 1992 - June 1, 1992)

Allows the use of landing or dip nets, push nets, and cast nets to harvest live bait shrimp in the inside waters of Volusia County.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1992)

Makes above rule permanent.

SHRIMP - WAKULLA COUNTY, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective March 16, 1993)

Redefines the boundary between the Big Bend and Northwest Regions established in the shrimp rule as a line drawn between the St. Marks Lighthouse due south to Channel Marker #24 in order to manage food shrimp production gear (the use of legal turtle excluder devices is still required at all times in the affected area of the expanded Northwest Region).

SHRIMP - BIG BEND REGION, CH 46-3 and 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

Repeals the food shrimp count law for the Big Bend Region, and instead prohibits all shrimping in approximately 500,000 acres of inshore waters in the region from the St. Mark's Channel to Bailey's Bluff in shallow water characterized by dense and patchy seagrass bottom habitat. The rule also prohibits food shrimping in all state waters of the region in July and August each year.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective October 3, 1994)

Limits the size of wing nets used to harvest live bait shrimp in Volusia County to a 26-foot maximum perimeter.

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST REGION, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective October 3, 1994)

• Prohibits any person harvesting shrimp as a live bait shrimp producer from possessing aboard a vessel more than one gallon of heads on dead shrimp in the inshore waters of Nassau and Duval counties
• Prohibits shrimp harvested as live bait in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler counties from being sold as anything other than live bait
• Requires shrimp harvested as live bait in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler counties to be constantly maintained in wet live storage containers of certain specifications aboard vessels and vehicles, and during storage, in order to minimize mortality
• Prohibits all harvest of shrimp from the inshore waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, and Clay counties during April and May each year
• Prohibits all harvest of shrimp in any tributary of the St. Mary's River, Bells River, Jolly River, Amelia River, Jackson Creek, Nassau River, Back River, South Amelia River, Lanceford Creek, North Fork of Alligator Creek, and a certain eastern portion of Tiger Basin and Tiger Creek - in Nassau and Duval counties (shrimp harvest is allowed in each of the above listed water bodies proper)
• Decreases the number of holidays when commercial shrimp harvest is prohibited to nine major state holidays
• Amends language that defines the term "frame net" to clarify that this gear may be fished behind or alongside a vessel not under power

SHRIMP - TORTUGAS SHRIMP BEDS, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1995)

Establishes that possession aboard a vessel within state waters of the Tortugas Shrimp Beds of more than 5 gallons of heads-on dead shrimp at the same time any shrimp trawl is deployed shall constitute prima facie evidence that such shrimp were taken within the Beds as an illegal food shrimp activity.

SHRIMP - FLORIDA EAST COAST SHRIMP BED, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1995)

Allows the harvest of food shrimp during April and May in a narrow area adjacent to federal waters outside the mouth of the St. Johns River.

SHRIMP - TRAWL SPECIFICATIONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER95-1, F.A.C. (Effective July 3 - September 30, 1995)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl in inshore and nearshore state waters that contains more than 500 square feet of mesh area
• Prohibits the use of any otter trawl that has a perimeter around its mouth greater than 66 feet
• Prohibits the use of more than two unconnected otter trawls, including any try net

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SHRIMPING, CH 46ER95-2, F.A.C. (Effective October 12 - 31, 1995)

Suspends minimum count (size) regulations on white shrimp harvested from Apalachicola Bay.

SHRIMP, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl in inshore and nearshore state waters with more than 500 square feet of mesh area
• Allows the use of otter trawls with a perimeter around the opening no greater than 66 feet in all areas of the state where otter trawls are allowed in inshore and nearshore waters
• Prohibits the use of more than two unconnected trawls, including any try net, in inshore and nearshore state waters
• Allows the use of a sled in lieu of the inner doors between two otter trawls (with a spread of at least 10 feet between the trawls) where the use of otter trawls is allowed in inshore and nearshore state waters
• Allows the use of trawls for the directed harvest of shrimp only
• Prohibits the use of otter trawls by recreational fishermen

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-1, F.A.C. (Effective March 12 - June 10, 1996)

Suspends a rectangular area closure to shrimp harvesting in Apalachicola Bay south of the John Gorrie Bridge.

SHRIMP - RECREATIONAL FRAME NETS, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1996)

• Allows recreational fishermen statewide to harvest shrimp with frame nets if such gear is deployed from a vessel, or from a structure other than an operational bridge or causeway, or from a catwalk attached to such bridge or causeway (these frame nets are not allowed to be fished or dragged along the bottom)
• Reaffirms that frame nets used by commercial food shrimp producers in the Southeast Region be deployed only from vessels

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST REGION, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1996)

These rules - in all state waters of the Northeast Region (Nassau through Brevard counties, including all waters of the St. Johns River):

• Require a legal, functioning bycatch reduction device (BRD) to be installed and used in all otter trawls rigged for fishing and used by all food and live bait shrimp producers - BRD's that meet the legal specifications of this proposed rule include the Florida Finfish Excluder and the large mesh Extended Funnel BRD
• Prohibit the rigging or altering of BRD's installed in trawls in a manner that would render the BRD nonfunctioning or ineffective
• Increase the minimum mesh sizes allowed to be used in trawls by food shrimp producers to 7/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the cod (tail) end
• Eliminate the shrimp count (size limit) regulation in the region, effective July 1, 1996

SHRIMP - BAY AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-2, F.A.C. (Effective

July 1 - September 28, 1996)

Repeals an obsolete special act that established certain season and area closures for shrimp harvest in specified waters of Bay and Okaloosa counties.

SHRIMP - FRANKLIN/WAKULLA/GULF COUNTIES, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 1996)

Eliminates the shrimp count (size limit) regulation in state waters from the Apalachicola Bay system to the Northwest/Big Bend Region demarcation line and instead establishes the following area/season closures to all harvest of shrimp:

• Retention of the present year-round closed area north of the John Gorrie Bridge in Apalachicola Bay
• Closure of areas in St. Vincent Sound known as Big Bayou, Sheepshead Bayou, and Indian Lagoon year-round
• Retention of the presently enforced daytime area closure from July 15 through September 15 in St. Vincent Sound and Apalachicola Bay
• Closure of a specified area in St. George Sound south of Green Point from September 15 through December 31
• Closure of a specified area between the shipping channel and the mouth of St. Vincent Sound in Apalachicola Bay from March 1 through May 31
• Closure of the Carrabelle River year-round

The rule also closes specified nearshore and inshore waters in Wakulla County year-round to all harvest of shrimp (except recreational).

SHRIMP - BAY/OKALOOSA/WALTON COUNTIES, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective September 30, 1996)

Repeals an obsolete special act that establishes certain season and area closures for shrimp harvest in specified waters of Bay, Okaloosa, and Washington counties.

SHRIMP - BYCATCH REDUCTION DEVICES, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective August 17, 1998)

• Requires a legal, functioning bycatch reduction device (BRD) to be installed and used in all otter trawls rigged for fishing by food and live bait shrimp producers in all state waters
• Prohibits the rigging or altering of BRDs installed in trawls in a manner that would render the BRD nonfunctioning or ineffective
• Provides a process of expedited rulemaking (as provided in the Administrative Procedure Act) to be employed to allow the use of new BRDs that are approved and certified for use by the National Marine Fisheries Service

SHRIMP - SUSPENSION OF MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT IN DADE COUNTY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER99-1, F.A.C. (Effective January 26, 1999 - April 26, 1999)

Suspends the food shrimp minimum size limit (47/70 count law) in state waters of Dade County.

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SKIMMER TRAWLS, CH 46-31, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

Allows the use of no more than two unconnected skimmer trawls (with no more than 500 square feet of mesh area per trawl and a perimeter around the leading edge of the trawl no greater than 56 feet) per vessel to harvest shrimp in waters of Apalachicola Bay in a specified area south of the Gorrie Bridge until July 1, 2001.

SHRIMP - SOUTHEAST SHRIMP AND STATEWIDE RESTRICTED SPECIES DESIGNATION, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective December 2, 1999)

• Eliminates the count law (minimum size limit) for food shrimp harvested in Dade County
• Establishes an Oct. 15 - May 15 allowable harvesting season for food shrimp in Biscayne Bay (with a 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday closed period to food shrimp harvest each week during this open season)
• Prohibits the use of frame nets by recreational fishermen to harvest shrimp in Dade County
• Designates shrimp as a "restricted species" statewide, effective Jan. 1, 2001

SHRIMP - SOUTHEAST SHRIMP, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective December 21, 2000)

Changes the Oct. 15 - May 15 Biscayne Bay food shrimp production season to Nov. 1 - May 31.

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SKIMMER TRAWLS, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective July, 2001)

Deletes the scheduled July 1, 2001 expiration of a rule which allows food shrimp producers to use skimmer trawls in specified waters of Apalachicola Bay.

SHRIMP - LIVE BAIT SHRIMP, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective February 28, 2002)

Requires persons who sell live bait shrimp to equip their facilities with watertight tanks with at least 32 cubic feet of continuously aerated saline water to store the shrimp (instead of 64 cubic feet previously required in most of Florida).

SHRIMP - BIG BEND REGION, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 2002)

Increases the allowable shrimp harvest areas in Dixie County waters by 5,900 acres.

SHRIMP - NORTHWEST REGION, CH 68B-31, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2003)

Allows the use of skimmer trawls to harvest food shrimp commercially in the Northwest Region.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1989)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl (except a trawl used for live bait shrimping) from October 1-May 31 each year in certain state waters off the southwest coast of Florida
• Establishes five zones to regulate shrimp trawling and stone crabbing in the state waters of Citrus and Hernando counties

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1991)

Prohibits the use of any trawl gear in an area offshore of Taylor County from the line of mean high water out to certain offshore navigational sea buoys (an exception is provided for live bait shrimpers using no more than two smaller roller frame trawls).

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, F.A.C. (Effective February 24, 1998)

Changes the Citrus-Hernando shrimp/stone crab zone coordinates to be compatible with the latest technological equipment and charts, amends the H-I line in the area to lie on a latitude, and revises the area's Zone II coordinates to correspond with designated shrimp closed areas.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, F.A.C. (Effective November 16, 1998)

Prohibits the use of trawls to harvest shrimp in state waters from Wiggins Pass (north of Naples) southward to the Tortugas Shrimp Sanctuary from January 1 through May 20.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER99-2, F.A.C. (Effective January 26, 1999 - April 26, 1999)

Extends the existing seasonal closure to shrimp trawling that stretches offshore from Boca Grande Pass to Wiggins Pass an additional 1½ miles southward to join with the northern boundary of a similar closure to the south.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS , CH 46-38, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Extends the existing seasonal closure to shrimp trawling that stretches offshore from Boca Grande Pass to Wiggins Pass an additional 1½ miles to coincide with the northern boundary of a similar closure area from Naples to Key West
• Changes the existing January 1 through May 20 closure to shrimp trawling in state waters from Naples to Key West to instead occur from October 1 through May 31 each yea

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS - Emergency Rule, CH 68BER01-1, F.A.C. (Effective May 9, 2001)

Provides latitude and longitude coordinates to coincide with the locations of two removed navigational flashing light markers, numbers 18 and 22, on the Taylor County Shrimp Closure Line.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 68B-38, F.A.C. (Effective August 5, 2001)

Makes above rule permanent.

SHRIMPING AND TRAPPING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 68B-38, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Replaces "Stonecrabbing" in rule title to "Trapping"
• Prohibits all trapping in any area off Citrus and Hernando counties currently closed seasonally to stonecrabbing
• Deletes obsolete Loran coordinates in rule

SNAPPER, GROUPER, AND SEA BASS, CH 46-14, F.A.C. (see REEF FISH)

SNOOK, CH 46-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 23, 1985)

• Minimum size limit: 24 inches total length (equivalent to 22 inches fork length)
• Maximum size limit: Possession limit of 1 snook 34 inches or greater per person
• Sale: Prohibited
• Closed seasons: January, February, June, July; also August 1985 and 1986
• Bag limit: Cannot possess more than 2
• Gear restrictions: Hook and line gear only

SNOOK, CH 46-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 1987)

• Extends management to include all fish of genus Centropomus
• Adds month of August to closed season permanently
• Requires that snook be landed in whole condition (heads and tails intact)
• Prohibits use of treble hooks with natural bait while harvesting snook

SNOOK, CH 46-21, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1994)

• Expresses the Commission's goal of maintaining the state's snook populations at a level of at least 40% spawning potential ratio
• Changes the January/February closed season for the harvest of snook to occur instead from December 15 through January 31 each year
• Clarifies the definition of total length to indicate that the anterior point of measurement begins at the most forward point of the lower jaw
• Allows snook to be possessed on a vessel with cast nets aboard provided that such nets are secured and stored away

SNOOK, CH 46-21, F.A.C. (Effective December 31, 1998)

• Increases the minimum size limit for snook from 24 to 26 inches total length
• Prohibits the harvest of snook larger than 34 inches total length
• Prohibits the captain and crew on for-hire vessels from retaining the snook 2-fish bag limit

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2000)

Applies Florida's snook management provisions (i.e., prohibition of spearing) to fish harvested from adjacent federal waters.

SNOOK, CH 68A-27, F.A.C. (Effective February 27, 2001)

Removes snook from Florida's "species of special concern" list.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2002)

• Establishes a daily bag limit of one snook per person in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County
• Prohibits the harvest of snook in May (in addition to the existing closed seasons) in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County
• Prohibits the possession or landing of snook in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County that were harvested in state waters north and east of the Dade-Monroe County Line

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective May 13, 2002)

Allows certified aquaculture facilities with a snook special activities license to culture, transport and sell snook produced as brood stock to private ponds and for aquarium and other exhibitional display under certain conditions.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of snook, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 13, 2006)

Increases the snook minimum size limit by one inch from 26 to 27 inches total length.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective July 12, 2007)

• Establishes a statewide daily recreational bag limit of one snook per person
• Establishes a snook slot limit of 28-32 inches total length in Atlantic waters and 28-33 inches total length in Florida's Gulf, Everglades National Park and Monroe County waters
• Adds December 1-14 and February to the snook closed harvest season in the Gulf, Everglades and Monroe County
• Allows anglers to carry more than one cast net aboard a vessel while fishing for snook

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, F.A.C. (Effective September 3, 2009)

Clarifies that it is unlawful to buy or sell snook taken within or without the state except as provided in snook special activity license provisions; that no person shall harvest or possess any snook taken within or without the state during closed seasons; that snook possessed on state waters, whether landed within or without state waters, must be in a whole condition; and that anglers may temporarily possess snook only to determine compliance with size requirements.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - SANIBEL (formerly SANIBEL SHELLS, LEE COUNTY SHELLS), CH 46-26, F.A.C. (Effective October 15, 1987)

Prohibits harvest of more than 2 live shellfish of any species per day within Sanibel and possession of more than 2 such shellfish at any time along the beach in Sanibel.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - LEE COUNTY, CH 46-26, F.A.C. (Effective September 1, 1993)

Prohibits the daily harvest and possession of more than 2 live shellfish of any single species per person in Lee County.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - SANIBEL, CH 46-26, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1995)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in the City of Sanibel.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - MANATEE COUNTY, CH 46-26, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1996)

Prohibits the daily harvest of more than two live shellfish of any single species per person from Manatee County waters. A live shellfish is defined as any mollusk or echinoderm, excluding oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - FORT MYERS BEACH, CH 68B-26, F.A.C. (Effective August 1, 2000)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in the City of Fort Myers Beach.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - LEE COUNTY, CH 68B-26, F.A.C. (Effective February 28, 2002)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in Lee County.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective November 28, 1985)

• Prohibits use of power roller gill net rigs for harvesting Spanish mackerel off Dade and Palm Beach counties (Broward County is already closed to net fishing)
• Establishes a minimum gill net mesh size of 3½ inches stretched mesh on the east coast of Florida November 15 through March 15, with a 15% by weight tolerance on Spanish mackerel caught in other nets while fishing for different species (minimum mesh size applies only to monofilament portion of net until October 1, 1990, at which time entire net rigging will be included)

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective October 30, 1986)

Recreational daily bag limit: 4 per person

Commercial fishing restrictions:

• Open fishing season for vessels greater than 40 feet in length, using power-assisted gill net gear, is December 15 - October 31
• Net fishing prohibited on weekends
• Minimum mesh sizes for gill nets, stretched mesh: East coast - 3½ inches; Southwest coast 3 3/8 inches; Northwest coast - 3 inches

NOTE: After October 1, 1988, 3 5/8 inches will apply to all areas. Minimum mesh sizes apply to monofilament portion of net only until October 1, 1990.

• Season commercial catch limits: East coast - 1,869,000 lbs.; Southwest coast - 1,501,000 lbs.; Northwest coast - 346,000 lbs.

  NOTE: These rules include certain bycatch allowances and exclusions.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective December 10, 1987)

• Continues same quotas and bag limits above
• Changes fishing season on Gulf coast to July 1 - June 30 each year (fishing season on Atlantic coast remains November 1 - October 31)
• Designates Spanish mackerel as "restricted species"
• The length of vessels, to which the prescribed season for power-assisted gill net gear on the East coast is applicable, is lowered from 40 to 36 documented feet
• Allows weekend commercial net fishing on the Southwest and Northwest coasts after 90% of quota is reached

SPANISH MACKEREL - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER88-1, F.A.C. (Effective April 12, 1988 - July 11, 1988)

Eliminates 4 inch net mesh bycatch exception during season closures for commercial harvesters statewide.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1988)

• Sets season commercial catch limits as follows: East coast - 2.055 million lbs.; Southwest coast - 2.09 million lbs.; Northwest coast - 435,000 lbs.

  NOTE: Large scale commercial fishery closes when quota is met or adjacent federal waters close to commercial harvest, whichever comes first.

• Recreational bag limit of 4 fish daily per person applies as a possession limit regardless of where fish is caught
• Sets statewide minimum gill net mesh size at 3½ inches stretched mesh
• Removes all bycatch exceptions except allowance for up to 500 lbs. caught as bycatch of other lawfully harvested species
• Delays opening of East coast large scale fishery to January 15
• Eliminates distinction between large and small boats and replaces it with daily limits of 1,500 lbs. at certain times and conditions
• Requires that Spanish mackerel be landed with heads and tails intact

SPANISH MACKEREL - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER89-2, F.A.C. (Effective May 12, 1989 - June 30, 1989)

Increases the allowed daily vessel limit from 500 to 1,500 pounds until the new season begins July 1, 1989.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1989)

Sets season commercial catch limits as follows:

• East Coast: A 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies April 1 - November 30, then unlimited harvest is allowed from December 1 until 2.34 million pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies until 2.6 million pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies through March 31
• Southwest Coast: Unlimited harvest is allowed from July 1 until 1.87 million pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies until 2.2 million pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies through June 30
• Northwest Coast: Unlimited harvest is allowed from July 1 until 360,000 pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel limit applies until 400,000 pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel limit applies through June 30

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1990)

Sets daily commercial vessel and landing limits annually as follows:

• East Coast: 1,500 pounds from April 1 - November 30, then unlimited harvest is allowed until 50% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 10,000 pounds until 75% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Southwest Coast: Unlimited harvest allowed from April 1 until 85% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Northwest Coast: Unlimited harvested allowed from April 1 until 90% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Commercial landing limits will be set at 500 pounds daily in any zone whenever federal waters are closed in that zone
• Establishes a more efficient mechanism to allow the MFC to annually adjust commercial harvest limits and recreational bag and possession limits
• Increases the recreational daily bag and off-the-water possession limits from 4 to 5 fish per person, effective January 1, 1991

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective November 26, 1992)

Increases the recreational bag limit from five to ten per person daily in state waters and in adjacent federal waters effective January 1, 1993. The rule also changes the management of the commercial quota on the state's east coast by:

• Setting a daily commercial vessel limit of 1,500 pounds from April 1 through November 30 each year
• Allowing unlimited commercial harvest beginning December 1 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and setting daily commercial vessel limits of 1,500 pounds on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 500 pounds on Saturdays and Sundays until 80 percent of the federal quota is reached
• Setting a daily commercial vessel limit of 1,000 pounds until the remainder of the federal quota is reached and then setting a 500 pound daily commercial vessel limit through March 31

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective February 16, 1993)

Removes the prohibition of the use of nets on weekends on the state's west coast.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

Removes daily vessel limit season segments on the state's Gulf coast, and instead allows unlimited commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel until the federal quota is met in the West Coast Region. A 500 pound daily vessel limit applies the remainder of the season in the West Coast Region. In the East Coast Region, the rule limits all nets in the directed Spanish mackerel fishery to a depth of 120 meshes during the 1,500, 1,000, and 500 pound season segments, and allows the transfer of Spanish mackerel between vessels at sea under the following conditions:

• Must take place outside the Colregs Demarcation line only
• All nets aboard vessels must have a stretched mesh of at least 3½ inches and have a depth of no greater than 120 meshes
• A legal daily vessel limit may be removed from a net and be isolated on board
• All fish exceeding a legal possession limit must remain entangled in meshes of the net until another boat legally licensed to harvest Spanish mackerel is within a specified distance (e.g., 50 yards) and is prepared to receive a daily vessel limit - fish must then be removed from the net and directly transferred or be put in a container for transfer to the vessel

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective February 14, 1994)

Deletes provisions regarding annual bag limit and quota adjustments.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective December 2, 1996)

For the Atlantic Group Spanish mackerel fishery - changes the unlimited harvest season to begin November 1 each year, raises the weekend daily commercial harvest limit to 1,500 pounds, and establishes a 1,500 pounds daily commercial harvest limit for all days after 75% of the quota has been reached.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

Establishes a daily 500 pound trip limit for the commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel after the close of the 1,500 pound harvest season segment through March 31 each year.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

Reestablishes the 12 inches minimum size limit.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2000)

Raises the recreational daily bag limit to 15 fish per person.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2001)

Establishes a 3,500-pound daily commercial vessel trip limit on weekdays for Spanish mackerel harvested in Atlantic state waters during the unlimited harvest phase in adjacent Atlantic federal waters.

SPEARING (formerly SPEARFISHING), CH 46-20, F.A.C. (Effective June 17, 1985)

Spearfishing prohibited:

• Within 100 yards of all public beaches and commercial or public fishing piers and bridges
• Within 100 feet of jetties (except the last 500 yards of any jetty extending more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline)
• For the taking of ornamental reef fishes
• In all state parks

Bag limits: Same as for all other fishermen

NOTE: Spearfishing is still illegal in Collier County and the Upper Keys area of Monroe County, and in fresh water

SPEARING, CH 46-20, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

• Establishes that "spearing" shall include all forms of spearfishing, bow hunting, and gigging
• Allows the spearing of all saltwater finfish species, except: snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, weakfish, bonefish, tarpon, permit, pompano, African pompano, tripletail, sharks, billfish, marine aquarium species, and all other species for which harvest is prohibited (i.e., jewfish, Nassau grouper, spotted eagle rays, manta rays, and sturgeon)
• Repeals certain obsolete special acts regarding spearfishing

SPECIAL ACTIVITY LICENSES, CH 68-B, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2004)

Modifies and expands rules regarding special activity licenses.

SPECIAL ACTIVITY LICENSES, CH 68-B, F.A.C. (Effective November 19, 2009)

Further modifies and expands rules regarding special activity licenses.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 2, 1987)

• Prohibits the harvest of any lobster with a carapace measurement of 3 inches or less or a tail measurement of 5½ inches if the tail is separated from the body
• Establishes a daily bag limit for recreational fishermen during the regular season of 6 per person or 24 per boat, whichever is greater (no off the water possession limit)
• Establishes a daily bag limit of 6 per person and a 2 day possession limit of 12 during the special two-day sport season
• Sets the special 2-day sport season to occur on the last full weekend prior to August 1 each year, and the regular season for lobster harvesting to occur August 6 through March 31 each year, beginning in 1988
• Allows traps to be soaked August 1-5 each year, beginning in 1988
• Requires all traps to be removed from the water by April 5 each year, unless granted a special 5 or 10 day extension by the Department of Natural Resources
• Prohibits the transportation and use of undersized lobsters as attractants August 1, 1990
• Allows the use of no more than 50 undersized lobsters per boat or one per trap, whichever is greater, to be used as an attractant until April 1, 1990, provided they be kept alive in a shaded, continuously circulating live well with pump capacity to totally replace the water at least every 8 minutes and large enough to provide at least 3/4 gallon of sea water per lobster, and that these lobsters be released alive to the water daily
• Requires all lobsters to remain in a whole condition while on or below state waters ("wringing" prohibited)
• Requires persons who exceed bag limits to possess a crawfish license or trap number and a saltwater products license
• Allows the use of wood slat traps no larger in dimension than 3 X 2 X 2 feet or the volume equivalent, reinforced with wire mesh no heavier than 9 gauge (only to vertical surfaces)
• Allows the use of plastic traps (same dimensions as above, with a wood slat top panel) until April 1, 1990, and in the interim, DNR is requested to study the impact on the use of plastic traps on the environment
• Limits the number of traps fished to 2,000 per person or boat
• Requires trap buoys and markers of certain specifications
• Allows traps to be worked during daylight hours only
• Prohibits traps to be used within 100 feet of the intracoastal waterway or any bridge or sea wall
• Requires commercial divers to permanently display on the boat a "divers-down flag" and identification number on a placard no smaller than 16 inches by 20 inches
• Prohibits the use of any device that could puncture, penetrate, or crush lobsters
• Prohibits divers from exceeding the daily bag limit while fishing at night
• Requires all divers harvesting lobster to possess, while in the water, a lobster carapace measuring device, and each measurement shall occur in the water
• Prohibits the harvest or possession of egg-bearing spiny lobster or slipper lobster
• Prohibits the directed harvest of spiny lobster with nets or trawls (a 5% bycatch exception is allowed)
• Repeals Chapter 29299, Laws of Florida (a Monroe County Special Act governing traps used in the waters of that county)

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 2, 1990)

• Prohibits use of undersize lobsters as attractants and requires use of escape gaps in traps effective August 1, 1993, unless an effort reduction program for spiny lobster is adopted by the Legislature and implemented by the Commission prior to this date
• Prohibits use of traps treated (dipped) in oil products effective August 1, 1993
• Prohibits use of plastic traps effective April 1, 1993 while requiring use of untreated wood panels in these traps until that time
• Requires all traps to have a rectangular escape gap 2 1/8 inches wide and 20 inches long near the trap bottom at the narrowest end opposite the buoy line, beginning August 1, 1993
• Allows commercial fishermen to harvest lobster by diving, with a bully net or hoop net, or by the use of legal traps
• Designates spiny lobster as a "restricted species" effective August 1, 1993
• Provides exemptions for certain aquaculture operations to allow the out-of-state shipment of legal size, live spiny lobster cultured by such operations during the closed season

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1992)

• Sets the maximum number of spiny lobster traps allowed each season at 10% fewer than were allowed the previous season, beginning August 6, 1993
• Provides that landward of the Territorial Sea Line, no more than 15 feet of any buoy line attached to a buoy used to mark a spiny lobster trap or trotline shall float on the surface of the water

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 1992)

• Extends the phase out of plastic traps to 1995
• Eliminates the use of nonconforming traps pursuant to special activity permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources
• Establishes the following rules for the special two-day season for spiny lobster: change the season to occur the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July each year; during this two-day period, harvest methods will be limited to diving and to the use of bully nets or hoop nets; in addition, more stringent rules will apply in Monroe County than elsewhere in the state during this two-day period - In Monroe County only: no more than 6 lobsters may be harvested or possessed per person on the first day; on the second day, no more than 6 lobsters may be harvested or possessed on the water and no more than 12 lobsters may be possessed per person on shore; in addition, night diving will be prohibited; In all other areas of Florida: no more than 12 lobsters may be harvested or possessed per person on the first day; on the second day, no more than 12 lobsters may be harvested or possessed on the water and no more than 24 lobsters may be possessed per person on shore

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1994)

• Provides additional language to reiterate to the public that the use of bleach to aid in the taking of lobster is strictly prohibited
• Establishes a daily bag limit of 50 spiny lobsters per vessel for special recreational crawfish license holders (or per person for such license holders who are not harvesting lobsters from a vessel) - beginning in August, 1994
• Deletes a provision to prohibit the use of plastic traps in the lobster fishery beginning in 1995
• Designates spiny lobster as a "restricted species", effective August 1, 1994

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective October 4, 1995)

• Establishes a minimum throat size of 3½" X 6" for lobster traps, using the inside dimensions of the narrowest point of the funnel
• Requires lobster trap throats to be located on the top of the trap
• Requires degradable panels in all non-wooden lobster traps
• Defines degradable panels for lobster traps as a wooden lid located on the top of the trap

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective June 3, 1996)

Suspends the 10 percent annual reduction of spiny lobster traps for the 1996/97 fishing season.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective September 30, 1996)

Requires the color and trap number of marking buoys to be permanently and conspicuously displayed on vessels so that they are:

• Readily identifiable from the air, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches high
• Readily identifiable from the water, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches high

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective January 30, 1997)

Establishes an alternating spiny lobster trap reduction schedule as follows: a zero percent reduction for the 1997-98 season, a ten percent reduction for 1998-99, a zero percent reduction for 1999-2000, and a ten percent reduction for 2000-01.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

Eliminates all references to recreational traps in the spiny lobster rule.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2000)

Delays the 10-percent reduction in spiny lobster trap certificates for one year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2001)

• Reduces the number of lobster traps in Florida waters by 4 percent annually until the total number of traps is down to 400,000
• Reductions occur first during trap certificate transfers and penalty actions
• Further reductions take place only if the initial process fails to reach the 4 percent annual target, and then are applied to all lobster fishers on a pro rata basis
• Deletes the 10-percent lobster trap reduction scheduled to occur in 2001

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective June 2, 2002)

Allows importation of spiny lobster tails into Florida during the closed season under certain conditions.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 2002)

• Allows commercial lobster fishermen to possess 50 undersized lobsters (shorts) and one per trap on board their vessels to attract legal-sized lobsters into traps, provided the vessels meet existing live well requirements for shorts
• Requires that the maximum distance between wooden slats on wire-reinforced wooden slat lobster traps be no more than 2¼ inches, and that the slats have a minimum width of 1¼ inches, beginning in August 2003
• Clarifies that when one or more persons possessing the special recreational crawfish license are aboard a vessel, the vessel bag limit is 50 lobsters, regardless of the number of licensed persons aboard
• Formalizes policy regarding administrative penalties for untagged lobster traps

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 2, 2003)

• Eliminates the 24-lobster vessel limit from the regular season recreational bag limit (only the six-lobster per person daily limit applies)
• Reduces the bag limit during the two-day sport lobster season in Biscayne National Park from 12 to six lobsters per person per day
• Phases out the higher recreational bag limit for persons holding the Special Recreational Crawfish License by the 2012-13 season
• Establishes a commercial dive harvest limit of 250 lobsters per day in Monroe County for the 2003-04 fishing year (NOTE: two commercial divers who each hold a 2002-03 and a 2003-04 saltwater products license with restricted species and lobster endorsements may possess up to 500 lobsters per vessel per day)
• Establishes a commercial dive permit for qualified fishermen beginning in the 2004-05 season, and establishes a moratorium on new permits effective January 1, 2005
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession of dive permits and trap certificates beginning in the 2004-05 fishing year
• Provides procedures to allow another person to pull a harvester's traps under certain circumstances
• Prohibits all harvest of lobsters from illegal artificial habitat

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective April 1, 2004)

• Establishes a commercial lobster dive permit beginning in the 2004-05 fishing year
• Establishes a qualification period of either the license year July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001, July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2002 or July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003
• Establishes a moratorium on issuing new permits from Jan. 1, 2005 until July 1, 2010
• Prohibits dive permit holders from also holding lobster trap certificates
• Specifies that the 250-lobster commercial dive vessel limit apply in Monroe, Dade, Broward, Collier and Lee counties
• Applies the 250-lobster vessel limit to lobsters caught with commercial bully nets statewide
• Prohibits divers from possessing lobsters exceeding the recreational bag limit within 10 yards of artificial habitats (as defined by FWC rule)
• Establishes the period of time when trap certificates may be transferred or inactivated in order to receive a dive permit
• Allows for landings qualifications to be either from an individual or vessel saltwater products license
• Specifies that the commercial dive permit applies only to a vessel
• Allows transfer of permits to an immediate family member in the event of disability or death of the permit holder
• Establishes an appeals program
• Establishes commercial lobster dive vessel markings
• Suspends the passive/active lobster-trap-reduction program for three years

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

Expands the lobster trap certificate transfer period so that it occurs from June 15 through March 1 each year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective January 9, 2006)

Extends the moratorium on reducing traps in the spiny lobster fishery through the 2007-08 license year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2008)

• Extends the current moratorium on reducing the number of traps in the lobster fishery until July 1, 2009
• Allows two spiny lobster endorsement numbers to be displayed from one vessel
• Prohibits the harvest and possession of egg-bearing lobsters

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2009)

Reduces the number of lobster trap certificates by 10 percent when a commercial lobster harvester decides to sell or transfer trap certificates to a person outside his immediate family.

SPONGES, CH 46-28, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1988)

Opens state waters to commercial sponge diving for a period of two years north of Egmont Key to the Taylor-Jefferson county line and beyond three miles from shore south of Egmont Key to the Monroe-Collier county line (diving for sponges in all other areas, including the Florida Keys, remains prohibited); provides definitions for "sponge" and "commercial sponge."

SPONGES, CH 46-28, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1990)

Extends limited allowance of sponge diving described above indefinitely.

SPONGES, CH 46-28, F.A.C. (Effective December 1, 1991)

Prohibits the harvest, possession, and landing of sponges from the waters of Biscayne National Park, effective December 1, 1991.

SPONGES, CH 68B-28, F.A.C. (Effective May 13, 2002)

• Establishes a sponge harvesting endorsement on the saltwater products license for persons who commercially harvest and sell sponges beginning July 1, 2002
• Sets a 10-piece per day bag limit and on-the-water possession limit for commercial sponge species harvested recreationally
• Prohibits harvest of any commercial sponge measuring less than five inches in greatest dimension, when wet, measured across the top of the sponge

SPONGES, CH 68B-28, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2007)

Extends the area where harvest of commercial sponges by diving in Gulf waters is legal westward to Cape

San Blas and requires that all sponges harvested by diving must be cut rather than removed with a hook.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1989)

• Designates spotted seatrout as a "restricted species"
• Prohibits snatch hooking and the use of multiple hooks when fishing for seatrout with natural bait
• Sets a recreational 14 inch minimum and 24 inch maximum size limit (one fish over 24 inches may be kept per day)
• Establishes daily bag limit and on the water possession limit of 10 fish per person
• Sets a 3 inch minimum net mesh size for the harvest of seatrout (the minimum net mesh size becomes 3½ inches on January 1, 1993)
• Regulates commercial harvest by dividing the state into three regions - East Coast (Florida/Georgia line to Dade/Monroe county line), Southwest Coast (Dade/Monroe county line to Pinellas/Pasco county line), and Northwest Coast (Pinellas/Pasco county line to Florida/Alabama line); season begins November 1 in each region and continues until October 31 of the following year for each region; harvest limits set at 70% of the average harvest taken from 1984-1987; a 500 pound daily vessel limit applies until 50% of the season harvest limit is reached, then a 200 pound daily vessel limit applies until the season limit is harvested; commercial harvest of spotted seatrout ends in each region when the 200 pound season is closed and no sale of native seatrout is allowed beginning when all three regional quotas are met until the following November 1

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

• Prohibits all harvest of spotted seatrout in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line in February, and in all other state waters in November and December each year
• Establishes daily recreational bag limits of 7 spotted seatrout harvested in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line, and 5 spotted seatrout harvested from all other state waters
• Raises the minimum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested statewide to 15 inches total length
• Establishes a 24 inches total length maximum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line, and a 20 inches total length maximum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested in all other state waters (an allowance for the daily harvest of one fish larger than the respective maximum lengths applies statewide)
• Allows the commercial harvest and sale of spotted seatrout in June, July, and August only - a 75 fish daily vessel limit and a 15 inches total length minimum/24 inches maximum size limit applies during these months for all commercial harvest of spotted seatrout statewide
• Allows only the use of hook and line gear and cast nets for all harvest of spotted seatrout
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession aboard a vessel of any gill net or entangling net together with any spotted seatrout
• Requires all spotted seatrout to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of spotted seatrout that are not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Defines "total length" for spotted seatrout to mean the length of the fish measured from the most forward point of the head to the hindmost point of the tail

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, F.A.C. (Effective August 1, 1996)

Replaces the November/December closed season to the harvest of spotted seatrout with a December through February closure - in Nassau through Flagler counties only.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2000)

• Creates two recreational management regions for spotted seatrout - the North Region includes state waters on the Gulf coast north and west of a line near the Pinellas/Pasco counties border (near Fred Howard County Park in Pinellas County), and on Florida's east coast north of the Volusia/Flagler counties border; the South Region includes all other state waters
• Establishes 15-inch minimum/20-inch maximum size limits statewide
• Establishes a five fish daily bag limit in the North Region and a four fish limit in the South Region (one fish larger than the maximum size limit may be retained)
• Establishes a February closed season to spotted seatrout harvest in the North Region, and a November/December closed season in the South Region

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of spotted seatrout, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

STATUTORY REPEAL PROCESS, TITLE 68-B, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 2005)

Intended to replace provisions located in Florida Statutes that regulate saltwater fishing with FWC rules.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective April 10, 1985)

Closed season: May 15 to October 15

Minimum claw size: 2 3/4 inches forearm length (no tolerance on undersized claws)

Prohibited:

• Harvest of claws from egg-bearing females
• Possession of egg-bearing females
• Possession of live or dead stone crab body, except live crabs may be held temporarily on vessels at sea until claws are removed provided they are shaded, kept damp, and not compressed
• Any device which can puncture, crush, or injure crab body, such as spears, hooks, grabs, grains, etc.

Gear Restrictions:

• Nonwooden traps must have a biodegradable section
• Traps may be placed in the water and baited 10 days prior to season opening
• Traps must be removed from the water within 5 days after the season closes - D.N.R. may extend this time a maximum of 10 days under certain conditions
• Traps must be attached to buoys and marked according to certain specifications
• Traps may be transferred to others under certain conditions

STONE CRAB - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER87-2, F.A.C. (Effective May 15 - August 12, 1987)

Redefines stone crabs as any crustacean of the species Menippe mercenaria or Menippe adina or the interbreeding hybrid Menippe mercenaria x adina, or any part of such crustacean.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective August 25, 1987)

Makes definition of stone crabs (described above) permanent, and allows importation of stone crabs under certain restrictions during closed seasons through 1989.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective April 18, 1990)

Reinstates a requirement that persons using traps to harvest stone crabs must hold a saltwater products license. Other technical changes are made in this rule to conform its language to the current trap number system in the stone crab fishery.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective June 17, 1993)

Prohibits the use of any trap in this fishery that has been treated with petroleum products, beginning October 5, 1995.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective October 4, 1995)

• Establishes a maximum size of 2' X 2' X 2' for stone crab traps
• Establishes a maximum throat size of 3½" X 5½" for stone crab traps
• Requires wire stone crab traps to have the same escape rings as blue crab traps are required to have when used to harvest blue crabs
• Requires stone crab slat trap throats to be located on the top of the trap
• Requires degradable panels in all non-wooden stone crab traps
• Defines degradable panels for stone crab traps as having wooden slats with a maximum thickness of 3/4" that cover an escape hole no smaller than the throat size
• Establishes degradability requirements for stone crab traps: such traps are considered to have a legal degradable panel if the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap by a single loop of untreated Jute twine, and the trap lid is secured so that when the jute degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed; or the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to one end with a corrodible hook composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, and the trap lid is secured so that when the hook degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high and 3 inches wide, and the opening is laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a single length of untreated jute twine knotted only at each end and not tied or looped more than once around a single mesh bar; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the jute degrades; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be obstructed with an untreated pine slat or slats no thicker than 3/8 inch - the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the slat degrades; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner or be obstructed with a panel of ferrous single-dipped galvanized wire mesh made of 24 gauge or thinner wire
• Allows recreational fishermen to use no more than five stone crab traps, with a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of stone crab claws per person, or 2 gallons of claws per vessel, and prohibits the use of power assisted gear to retrieve stone crab traps by recreational fishermen

STONE CRAB - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective September 30, 1996)

Requires the color and trap number of marking buoys to be permanently and conspicuously displayed on vessels so that they are:

• readily identifiable from the air, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches high
• readily identifiable from the water, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches high

STONE CRAB - WIRE TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1998)

• Requires that each throat (entrance) in all wire stone crab traps be horizontally oriented; the width of the opening where the throat meets the vertical wall of the trap and the opening of the throat at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap, shall be greater than the height of any such opening; no such throat shall extend farther than 6 inches into the inside of any trap, measured from where the throat opening meets the vertical wall of the trap to the throat opening at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap
• Provides that trap marking buoys be either spherical in shape with a diameter no smaller than 6 inches, or some other shape provided that it is no shorter than 10 inches in the longest dimension and the width at some point exceeds 5 inches

STONE CRAB - TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-13, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Allows the use on stone crab traps of trap lid tie-down straps secured at one end by a loop composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, 2 X 3/8 inch non-treated pine dowels or squares to replace the hook on tie-down straps, a 3 X 6 inch panel attached to the trap opening with 24 gauge or less wire or single strand jute
• Prohibits the use of a 24 gauge hook or tie-down strap on stone crab traps

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2000)

• Creates an effort management program to control the number of traps deployed in the stone crab fishery
• Merges the statutory provisions found in Chapter 370.13, Florida Statutes (season, license requirements, license moratorium) into the stone crab rule
• Changes the existing stone crab rule by modifying the definition of stone crab, by allowing two endorsements per boat, and by allowing another person to deploy, pull, and retrieve a fisherman's traps with permission of the owner and the Division of Law Enforcement

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective July 22, 2001)

• Provides rules to implement the appeals process and other components of the stone crab trap reduction program
• Delays the requirement that fishermen must have tags on stone crab traps until Oct. 1, 2002
• Extends the moratorium on the issuance of new stone crab endorsements until July 1, 2002

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective June 2, 2002)

Increases the number of trap certificates to be allotted by the advisory and appeals board to settle disputes from 100,000 to 180,000, and extends the life of the board to July 1, 2003.

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Repeals an obsolete law that limits stone crab trappers in Citrus, Dixie, Levy and Taylor counties to 600 traps each
• Prohibits partial payment of stone crab trap certificate fees
• Extends the Stone Crab Advisory Board through June 30, 2008 as an advisory board only and adjusts its membership qualifications

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective July 15, 2004)

• Expands the stone crab trap certificate transfer period so that it occurs from June 15 through March 1 each year.
• Allows stone crab trap certificate holders to forfeit, voluntarily and permanently, any number of their certificates
• Allows the biodegradable panel in wire stone crab traps to be oriented either vertically or horizontally

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, F.A.C. (Effective July 13, 2008)

• Continues the Stone Crab Advisory Board until July 1, 2011
• Allows the use of 16 gauge or thinner staples to secure stone crab trap tie-down lids or the panel on wire stone crab traps

STRIPED BASS, CH 46-5, F.A.C. (Effective March 1, 1988)

Declares striped bass to be a freshwater species in Florida, and transfers management to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

STURGEON, CH 46-15, F.A.C. (Effective November 25, 1984)

Prohibits all harvest in state waters.

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25.001, F.A.C. (Effective July 9, 1987)

Prohibits harvest of all fishes by net, excluding the use of common hand cast nets, in the waters of all creeks, canals, bayous, tributaries, bays and inlets, and all waters within 100 yards of the mouth of such bodies of water, between the southeast side of the mouth of Rocky Creek to the northwest side of the mouth of Double Branch Creek, in Old Tampa Bay.

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1988)

Closes E.G. Simmons Park in Hillsborough County to the harvest of all fish by net, excluding cast nets and hand-held landing or dip nets.

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1990)

Prohibits harvest of any fish in and on the waters of Old Tampa Bay north of the Gandy Bridge, including any creek or bayou emptying into such waters, except by hook and line, landing or dip net, cast net, gill or trammel net, a crab trap specifically allowed by Rule 46-13.002, F.A.C. or 370.135, F.S., and a shrimp trap specifically allowed by Section 370.15(5), F.S.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 30, 1988)

• Provides definitions of "professional fishing guides" and "tarpon" for purposes of the rule chapter
• Limits the total number of tarpon tags to be issued by the D.N.R. in calendar year 1989 to 10,000, 5,000 of which will be allotted to professional fishing guides

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 1, 1989)

Limits the total number of tarpon tags to be issued by the D.N.R. in calendar year 1990 to 10,000, 5,000 of which will be allotted to professional fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective October 1, 1990)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags to be issued for 1991 calendar year the same as for 1990, listed above.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective December 4, 1991)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1992 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 26, 1992)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1993 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 29, 1993)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1994 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1995)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1995 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1996 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 27, 1996)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the first six months of 1997 at 1,250, and during the last six months of 1997 at 1,250 (one half the number of tags are reserved for fishing guides during each period).

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 12, 1997)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the first six months of 1998 at 1,250, and during the last six months of 1998 at 1,250 (one half the number of tags are reserved for fishing guides during each period).

TARPON, CH 46-32, F.A.C. (Effective November 16, 1998)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the July 1 - June 30 license year at 2,500 (with 1,250 tags reserved for fishing guides).

TARPON, CH 68B-32, F.A.C. (Effective March 28, 2004)

• Prohibits the intentional "snagging" or "snatch hooking" of tarpon, which is defined as the intentional catch of a fish by any device intended to impale or hook tarpon by any part of its body other than the mouth
• Limits the number of fishing lines/rods used per boat to fish for tarpon in Boca Grande Pass to no more than three during April, May and June

TARPON, CH 68B-32, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2004)

• Repeals the rule provision that limits the number of fishing lines/rods used per boat to fish for tarpon in Boca Grande Pass to no more than three during April, May and June - enacts a new rule instead that applies the three-line-per-vessel provision for the harvest of all species of fish in Boca Grande Pass during April, May and June (see this provision in GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR)
• Prohibits use of breakaway gear to harvest any fish in Boca Grande Pass during April, May and June - breakaway gear is defined to mean any bob, float, weight, lure or spoon that is affixed to a fishing line or hook with wire, line, rubber bands, plastic ties or other fasteners designed to break off when a fish is caught (see this provision in GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR)

TRAP RETRIEVAL and TRAP DEBRIS REMOVAL, CH 68B-55, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Authorizes public and private organizations to remove trap debris from shoreline areas landward of mean low water
• Requires that trap debris removal in other areas of state waters proceed only after prior authorization by the FWC
• Provides requirements for the trap retrieval program funded pursuant to Section 370.143, F.S.
• Provides for FWC-sanctioned retrieval of derelict traps during open and closed season period

TRAP RETRIEVAL and TRAP DEBRIS REMOVAL, CH 68B-55, F.A.C. (Effective October 15, 2007)

• Allows licensed spiny lobster, stone crab and blue crab trap fishers to designate people to recover and possess their traps when the governor and FWC declare an emergency
• Exempts local, state or federal officials from having to get FWC approval before removing traps and trap debris from areas where trapping is prohibited and modifies the definition of a derelict trap to account for a requirement that blue crab traps must be marked with FWC trap tags

TRIPLETAIL, CH 46-49, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 1996)

• Establishes 15 inches minimum size limit for all harvesters
• Establishes a 2 fish daily recreational harvest and possession limit
• Establishes a 10 fish daily commercial vessel limit
• Allows only hook and line gear (with a 2 fish commercial daily vessel bycatch allowance for tripletail otherwise legally harvested in nonconforming gear)
• Designates tripletail as a "restricted species"
• Defines "length" (for purposes of determining the size limit) as the measurement of the fish from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail
• Requires tripletail to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of any such fish that is not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Prohibits the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with natural bait, and snagging (snatch hooking) to harvest tripletail in state waters

TRIPLETAIL, CH 46-49, F.A.C. (Effective August 31, 1998)

Prohibits the sale of undersize tripletail.

TRIPLETAIL, CH 68B-49, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of tripletail, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

VOLUSIA COUNTY FLOUNDER GIGGING - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER97-1, F.A.C. (Effective April 15 - July 13, 1997)

Allows fishermen in Volusia County to harvest flounder with a barbed spear with not more than 3 prongs.

VOLUSIA COUNTY FLOUNDER GIGGING, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective July 30, 1997)

Makes above rule permanent.

VOLUSIA COUNTY SPECIAL ACT, CH 68B-3.008, F.A.C. (Effective October 16, 2002)

• Allows the use of pinfish traps and recreational blue crab traps in Volusia County inland waters
• Conforms commercial blue crab trap regulations in the county with statewide rule

VOLUSIA COUNTY SHEEPSHEAD GIGGING, CH 46-3, F.A.C. (Effective January 1, 2005)

Allows legal size sheepshead to be taken with a barbed spear (gig) with not more than three prongs in the inland waters of Volusia County.

WEAKFISH - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER94-2, F.A.C. (Effective December 13, 1994 - March 12, 1995)

• Prohibits the harvest (within or without Atlantic state waters), possession, landing, and sale of weakfish (also known as gray seatrout or yellow-mouth trout) with a total length less than 12 inches
• Requires that weakfish be landed in a whole condition
• Establishes a daily harvest and landing limit of 4 weakfish for recreational fishermen
• Establishes a daily vessel harvest and landing limit of 50 pounds of weakfish for commercial fishermen

WEAKFISH, CH 46-47, F.A.C. (Effective July 17, 1995)

This rule establishes a minimum size limit of 12 inches total length and a personal daily recreational bag limit of 4 weakfish harvested from the state's Atlantic coast.

WEAKFISH, CH 68B-47, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of weakfish, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

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