Florida Administrative Code

In addition to the requirements of this section, each cage or enclosure shall be equipped with a shelter(s) that shall accommodate all animals in the enclosure simultaneously. Each enclosure shall have an accessible device to provide physical stimulation or manipulation compatibl…

(1) Raccoons, coati-mundis, olingos, kinkajous, ringtail (cacomistles). In addition to the requirements for this section, each cage or enclosure shall have an accessible device to provide physical stimulation or manipulation compatible with the species. Such device shall be nonin…

(1) Rodents. In addition to the requirements for this section, each cage or enclosure shall have an accessible device to provide physical stimulation or manipulation compatible with the species. Such device shall be noninjurious, and may include, but is not limited to, boxes, bal…

In addition to requirements of this section, each enclosure shall be equipped with a shelter(s) or nest box(es) that shall accommodate all the animals in the enclosure simultaneously. When vegetation or landscaping is available to serve as protection from the elements, access to …

(1) All armadillos except giant armadillo. (a) For one or two animals, a cage or enclosure, 4 feet by 4 feet, 4 feet high. For each additional animal, increase the cage length by 25 percent. (b) Cage floors shall include an area of sufficient depth to provide for digging. Each ca…

(1) Bats with a wingspread from 2-6 feet. (a) For up to 6 animals, an enclosure 21 feet by 21 feet, 6 feet high. Each enclosure shall be designed to encourage uninterrupted flight by incorporating a center structure to impede cross flights. The available flight area shall be no l…

Wildlife may be temporarily housed in cages or enclosures smaller than the sizes set forth in this Chapter only under the following circumstances: (1) For transport and for performing and non-performing animals as specified in Rules 68A-6.014 and 68A-6.015, F.A.C. (2) Wildlife be…

(1) No person shall import, export, transport, ship or deliver in interstate or intrastate commerce any container or package containing any live wildlife unless each container or package bears, in a conspicuous place on the outside, a tag with both the name and address of the shi…

(1) Performing Animals. No mobile exhibit shall utilize the performing animal caging dimensions prior to approval by the Commission. To obtain such approval, the permittee shall provide written schedules to the Commission of wildlife exercise intervals and scheduled performances.…

Unconfined captive wildlife shall be maintained under rigid supervision and control, so as to prevent injuries to members of the public. No captive wildlife shall be tethered outdoors unsupervised. To provide for public safety, all wildlife shall be tethered or controlled in such…

(1) Any person who keeps, possesses, exhibits or sells any venomous reptiles or reptile of concern shall comply with Sections 379.303, 379.304, 379.305, 379.372, 379.373, 379.374 and 379.3761, F.S., and the provisions of subparagraph 68-5.007(5)(a)1., F.A.C., and the rules of thi…

(1) Facility requirements: All persons licensed to keep, possess, or exhibit venomous reptiles or reptiles of concern shall provide safe, secure and proper enclosures for said reptiles. Primary enclosures shall be housed within appropriate secondary containment which meets the re…

Any person who possesses any live venomous reptile or reptile of concern shall have a permit issued in accordance with Section 379.372, and if applicable, Section 379.3761, F.S., and comply with Section 379.304, F.S., and the provisions of this rule, Rules 68A-6.017 and 6.0171, F…

(1) Any person who keeps or possesses any live reptile of concern; or who keeps or possesses for personal use any live venomous reptile not indigenous to Florida or any live reptile of concern, in accordance with Sections 379.372 and 379.373, F.S., must permanently identify such …

(1) Any person in possession of captive wildlife which requires a license or permit issued under Sections 379.3761, 379.3762, or 379.372, F.S., or those facilities exempt from licensure pursuant to Section 379.3761(4), F.S., shall report any injury from such wildlife which result…

(1) The executive director may issue permits authorizing the taking or possession of wildlife or freshwater fish or their nests or eggs for scientific, educational, exhibition, propagation, management or other justifiable purposes. Such permits shall be subject to such terms, con…

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recognizes that there are justifiable reasons to allow for the harvest, collection, possession, or release of freshwater fish species that otherwise would be in violation of one or more of the state's freshwater fisheries regu…

(1) In addition to other licenses, permits and stamps required by law, stamp requirements for hunting, camping, fishing, or other recreational uses on lands owned, leased or managed by the Commission or the State of Florida for the use and benefit of the Commission shall be as pr…

(1) No person may possess any raptor for falconry purposes without a permit from the executive director, or as otherwise provided herein. No falconry permit will be issued to any person failing to qualify on a written examination prior to initial application, nor to any person un…

(1) No person shall possess any sick, injured, orphaned, or otherwise impaired wildlife native to the state of Florida for rehabilitation purposes without a permit from the Commission in accordance with this rule section, except as provided by paragraph (1)(d) below. Wildlife pos…

Special-use permits, short-term use permits, and fees for such permits are hereby established as follows: (1) Limited entry (special hunting and fishing) opportunities for which special-use permits are required shall be established by rule or, for small-game areas, by order of th…

The executive director or his designee may issue permits, to persons who are permanently physically disabled as described below, for activities which would otherwise be regulated or prohibited by these rules. Such permits shall be conditioned as necessary to protect natural resou…

Any person owning property may take nuisance wildlife or they may authorize another person to take nuisance wildlife on their behalf except those species listed in subsection (1), below, on their property by any method except those methods listed in subsection (2), below. Persons…

Any airport may take wildlife on airport property for the purpose of ensuring aircraft and human safety in accordance with this rule. An airport or other entity owning or operating an airport as defined in Section 330.27(2), F.S., or their officers, employees, contractors (or emp…

(1) The waters of Biscayne Bay, Card Sound, and Little Card Sound hereinafter described are declared to be a nursery sanctuary for the purpose of protecting the spiny lobster. The boundaries of the sanctuary are as follows: Begin at the intersection of the northern right-of-way o…

For the purpose of this chapter, except where the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Headland" means a point on the mean high water line of a coast at or near the mouth of a creek, canal, cut or other waterway, at which there is an appreciable change in direction of the gen…

It is unlawful for any person to molest, take or trap any spiny lobster, for any purpose, within the boundaries of the sanctuary, unless such person holds a special permit issued by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Commission may issue a special permit for the t…

The presence of spiny lobster aboard a vessel within the boundaries of the sanctuary, while one or more persons from such vessel are overboard, is prohibited and constitutes a violation of this chapter by all persons aboard and overboard from such vessel; provided, however, that …

(1) The purpose of this chapter is to renew and assure the continuing health and abundance of the king mackerel fishery in Florida waters of the Gulf of America and Atlantic Ocean herein designated as the Florida Gulf-Atlantic Fishery. This measure is founded upon evidence public…

For the purpose of this chapter, except where the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Commission" means the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (2) "Gulf-Atlantic Fishery" means all Florida waters of the Gulf of America and all Florida waters of the Atlantic O…

(1) No person shall harvest from the waters of the Gulf-Atlantic Fishery or land any king mackerel with a fork length less than 24 inches, measured from the tip of the snout to the rear center edge of the tail. (2) All king mackerel shall be landed in a whole condition. The posse…

(1) Except as provided in Rule 68B-12.0046, F.A.C., each person harvesting king mackerel from the Gulf-Atlantic fishery shall be subject to a bag limit of three fish per person, per day (consistent with the Federal Standard established in 50 C.F.R. §622.382(a)(1)(ii) as of May 11…

(1) The king mackerel fishing season for harvesters subject to the bag limit established in subsection 68B-12.004(1), F.A.C., in the Gulf-Atlantic fishery shall be July 1 of each year through June 30 of the following year. (2) If the harvest of king mackerel in federal Exclusive …

(1) Any person harvesting or possessing king mackerel in excess of the bag and possession limits specified in Rule 68B-12.004, F.A.C. in the Gulf-Atlantic fishery shall also possess a valid saltwater products license with a restricted species endorsement and a federal commercial …

(1) No person shall possess, transport, buy, sell, exchange or offer to buy, sell or exchange any king mackerel harvested in violation of any provision or condition of this chapter. (2) The Commission shall issue a permit pursuant to Rule 68B-2.010, F.A.C., to authorize king mack…

The regulations in this rule apply in all state waters and, in absence of any stone crab regulations in federal waters, apply in adjacent federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const., …

(1) The term "stone crab" for purposes of this chapter and Section 379.365, F.S., means any crustacean of the species Menippe mercenaria or Menippe adina or their interbreeding hybrids, or any part of such crustacean. (2) As used in this rule chapter: (a) "A1-certificates" are tr…

(1) Stone crabs are hereby designated as a restricted species pursuant to Section 379.101(32), F.S. (2) The season for the harvest, possession and sale of stone crab claws shall be from October 15 through May 1, each year. No person, firm or corporation, shall harvest, or have in…

(1)(a) Except as provided in subsection 68B-13.010(5), F.A.C., in addition to a saltwater products license, a stone crab endorsement is required in order to harvest and possess stone crabs for commercial purposes. This endorsement shall only be issued to a person, firm or corpora…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), of this rule, and in subsection 68B-13.006(2), F.A.C., it is unlawful to harvest, possess, sell, or offer for sale any stone crab claw at any time which has a forearm (propodus) of less than 2 7/8 inches in length, measured by a straight …

(1) Gear. It is unlawful to use any device in the taking of stone crabs that can puncture, crush, or injure the crab body, such as spears, grains, grabs, hooks, or similar devices. (2) Trap Construction. No person, firm, or corporation shall transport on the water, fish with, or …

(1) BAG LIMIT. Except for persons harvesting pursuant to a saltwater products license with a stone crab endorsement or an incidental take endorsement and a restricted species endorsement, each harvester of stone crab claws is subject to a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of stone crab…

(1) PURPOSE AND INTENT. Rapid growth of Florida's stone crab trap industry has led to an excessive number of traps in the water, declining yields per trap, and an increase in conflicts between stone crabbers and shrimp trawlers. The expanding number of traps, buoys and ropes impe…

(1) It is unlawful for a person to possess or use any other gear or device designed to attract and enclose or otherwise aid in the taking of stone crabs with a trap that does not meet the specifications of this rule chapter. (2) It is unlawful for a person to possess or use stone…

(1) It shall be the policy of the Commission to assess administrative penalties pursuant to Section 379.365(2)(a), F.S., for conviction of a violation involving use of stone crab traps without current year trap tags (paragraph 68B-13.010(2)(b), and subsections 68B-13.011(5) and (…

(1) Purpose and intent. (a) The purpose of this chapter is to protect and replenish Florida's reef fish resources by imposing minimum size limits, recreational bag limits, and restrictions on gear used to harvest the families, genera and species listed herein. (b) The prohibition…

For purposes of this chapter, except where the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Atlantic Ocean" means that body of water south and east of the line beginning at the point where the Natural Resources Boundary Line intersects 83 deg. W. longitude (24 deg. 29 min. N. latitud…