Florida Administrative Code

As used in Chapter 68B-18, F.A.C.: (1) "Bay scallop" means a scallop of the species Argopecten irradians, or any part of the meat or viscera thereof. (2) "Fenholloway - Suwannee River Zone" means all Florida Waters along the Gulf of America east of a line running through Rock Isl…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-13-85, Amended 6-15-94, 3-1-95, 7-15-96, 7-1-97, Formerly 46-18.003, Amended 6-2-02, 8-30-12, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Recreational Limits - (a) Bag Limits - 1. Except as provided in subparagraph (a)2., a person may not harvest or land per day from Florida Waters or possess in or on Florida Waters more than 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell, or more than 1 pint of bay scallop meat.…

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (a) through (c), the harvest of bay scallops begins on July 1 and continues through September 24 each year. (a) Within the Gulf County Zone, the harvest of bay scallops shall be limited to an open season that begins on August 16 and continues …

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-1-95, Amended 7-15-96, Formerly 46-18.0055, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Allowed Gear and Method of Harvest - A person may harvest or attempt to harvest a bay scallop from Florida Waters only by hand, or by using a landing or dip net. (2) Prohibited Gear and Method of Harvest - A person may not harvest or attempt to harvest a bay scallop from Flor…

(1) Purchase and Sale of Bay Scallop Prohibited - A person may not purchase or sell a bay scallop. (2) Exception - (a) Subsection (1) does not apply to a person who is purchasing, selling, or in possession of a bay scallop if the bay scallop was legally harvested outside of Flori…

(1) Open area - The area open to the harvest of bay scallops includes all Florida Waters along the Gulf of Mexico east and southeast of a line extending due south from the west bank at the mouth of Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County (85°25.84ꞌ West Longitude) and north of a line ex…

Cobia are hereby designated as a restricted species pursuant to Section 379.101(32), F.S. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-13-85, Amended 1-1-90, Formerly 46-19.001, Amended 3-22-01, 9-1-13.

"Cobia," also known as ling, means a fish of the species Rachycentron canadum, or any part thereof. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-13-85, Amended 1-1-90, 8-31-98, Formerly 46-19.002, Amended 3-22-01, 9-…

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest or land from Florida Waters, or possess in or on Florida Waters, a cobia that is less than 36 inches in fork length. (2) Landed in Whole Condition Requirement - A person harvesting cobia shall land each cobia in whole condition. A person …

(1) Recreational Limits - (a) Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from Florida Waters, or possess in or on Florida Waters, more than 1 cobia per day. (b) Vessel Limit - The recreational harvesters aboard a vessel in or on Florida Waters may not collective…

As used in Division 68B, F.A.C.: (1) "Biscayne National Park" means all waters lying within the boundaries of Biscayne National Park, whether within or without the waters of the State of Florida, as depicted on NOAA nautical charts for coastal Florida waters and as described as f…

(1) This subsection applies to all marine finfish and any marine invertebrate regulated by Division 68B, F.A.C., with the exception of Chapter 68B-26, F.A.C. All persons catching or taking but not retaining for use any such marine organism shall immediately release such marine or…

(1) Recreational Harvester - A recreational harvester may not harvest, attempt to harvest, or possess in or on Florida Waters a marine organism unless the recreational harvester is in possession of a valid recreational saltwater fishing license. This provision does not apply to a…

On a single trip, a person must either be a recreational harvester or a commercial harvester for each species they harvest or possess. If a person is harvesting or is in possession of an organism for commercial purposes, that person may not harvest or possess an organism of the s…

(1) A restricted species endorsement on the saltwater products license is required to sell to a licensed wholesale dealer those species which the state, by law or rule, has designated as "restricted species." This endorsement shall be issued only to a person who is at least 16 ye…

Except for a law enforcement officer acting in an enforcement capacity, no person may possess, transport, purchase, or sell any marine organisms harvested in violation of any of the requirements of Division 68B, F.A.C., or Chapter 379, F.S. Rulemaking Authority Article IV, Sectio…

It is unlawful for any person to place traps in the marked navigation channels of the intracoastal waterways, or any other marked navigation channels maintained or marked by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, United States Coast Guard, State of Florida, navigation distric…

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 379.354, F.S., any person may take or attempt to take saltwater fish for noncommercial purposes during "License-Free Saltwater Fishing Days" without obtaining or possessing a license as otherwise required by the section. "License-Free Sal…

King and Spanish Mackerel - A permit is required to meet the requirements of 50 C.F.R. §622.386(e) (as of January 9, 2015) for tournament-caught king and Spanish mackerel to be donated and sold. Upon request and submission of the information required in subsection (1), the Execut…

(1) It is unlawful for any person to place chum in the water for the purposes of fishing from a beach or wade fishing in waters immediately adjacent to a beach. This shall not be construed to prohibit the use of a baited hook when fishing with hook and line gear, placing bait in …

(1) "Bow Hunting" means the catching or taking of a fish through the instrumentality of a bow and arrow or a crossbow and arrow, or quarrel. (2) "Bow" means a device consisting of a flexible material having string connecting its two ends for the purpose of discharging arrows, whi…

(1) Spearing is lawful in all salt waters and salt tributaries located in the State of Florida except: (a) As provided in Section 379.2425, F.S. Notwithstanding the prohibition contained in that section, spearfishing is allowed in state waters off Collier County except as prohibi…

(1) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Rule 68B-20.003, F.A.C., or Section 379.2425, F.S., upon request and with reasonable assurance that the activity will not harm the environment nor be a danger to public health or safety, the Executive Director, or his designee, shal…

The spearing of the following species and species groups is prohibited: (1) Billfish (species of the genus Xiphias, Istiophorus, Makaira, and Tetrapturus). (2) Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus). (3) Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus). (4) Bonefish (Albula vulpes). (5) Jewfish (Epinephel…

(1) Designation as a Protected Species - The snook, species Centropomus undecimalis, is hereby declared and designated a protected species. (2) The snook, species Centropomus undecimalis has been designated as a protected species to increase public awareness of the need for exten…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-9-87, Amended 1-1-98, Formerly 46-21.0015, Amended 1-1-02, 5-13-02, 7-1-06, 7-12-07, 9-3-09, Repealed 9-1-13.

As used in Chapter 68B-21, F.A.C.: (1) "Big Bend Region" means all Florida Waters and adjacent federal waters of the Gulf of America lying east of 84°20.800ꞌ West Longitude in Franklin County and north of a line running due east and due west from the westernmost point of Fred How…

(1) Minimum and Maximum Size Limits - A person may not harvest or land from within or without Florida Waters of the following regions, or possess within or without Florida Waters of the following regions, a snook that does not meet the specified size limits established in this su…

(1) Regional Recreational Bag Limits - A person may not harvest or land per day from within or without Florida Waters of the following regions, or possess within or without Florida Waters of the following regions, more snook than the specified bag limit established in this subsec…

Regional Closed Seasons - During the closed seasons for snook established in this rule for the following regions, a person may not harvest or land a snook from within or without Florida Waters of the specified region, or possess a snook in the specified region regardless of wheth…

(1) Allowed Gear and Method of Harvest - Within or without Florida Waters, a person may harvest or attempt to harvest a snook only by or with the use of hook and line gear. (2) Prohibited Gear and Method of Harvest - The following restrictions apply within or without Florida Wate…

(1) A person may not purchase or sell a snook, regardless of whether the snook was harvested within or without Florida Waters. (2)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (2)(b), a seafood dealer may not possess or store a snook, or allow a person to possess, store, purchase, or sell …

(1) The purpose and intent of this chapter is to protect, manage, conserve and replenish Florida's red drum (redfish) resource. (2) Accordingly, it is the intent of this chapter to repeal and replace those portions of Section 370.11(2)(a)4., F.S. (1985), dealing with redfish. Thi…

(1) "Big Bend Region" means all Florida Waters of the Gulf of America lying east of 84°20.800ꞌ West Longitude in Franklin County and north of a line running due east and due west from the westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway (28°09.350ꞌN, 82°48.398ꞌW), and including all…

No person shall harvest in or from the waters of the State of Florida at any time, or unnecessarily destroy, any redfish of total length less than 18 inches, nor greater than 27 inches. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.…

(1) Recreational Bag Limits - Except as provided in Rule 68B-22.007, F.A.C., a recreational harvester may not harvest or land per day or possess more redfish than the specified bag limit established in this subsection within the following regions while in or on Florida Waters, or…

(1) The harvest of any redfish in or from state waters by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited. Spearing or snagging (snatch hooking) of redfish in or from state waters is prohibited. (2) It is unlawful for any person to…

(1) Except as provided in this rule, the practice of catching, holding, and releasing redfish is prohibited. The Executive Director of the FWC, or his designee, shall issue a tournament exemption permit to the director of a catch-and-release fishing tournament to allow redfish to…

Spanish mackerel are hereby designated as a restricted species pursuant to Section 379.101(32), F.S. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 11-28-85, Amended 10-30-86, 12-10-87, 10-1-88, 10-19-89, 9-30-96, Former…

(1) "East Coast Region" means Florida Waters along the east coast north of the Miami-Dade/-Monroe county line at Card Sound. (2) "Spanish mackerel" means any fish of the species Scomberomorus maculatus, or any part thereof. (3) "West Coast Region" means all Florida Waters except …

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest or land from Florida Waters, or possess in or on Florida Waters, a Spanish mackerel that is less than 12 inches in fork length. (2) Landed in Whole Condition Requirement - A person harvesting Spanish mackerel shall land each Spanish macke…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-1-99, Formerly 46-23.0035, Repealed 9-5-19.

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - (a) A recreational harvester may not harvest from Florida Waters more than 15 Spanish mackerel per day. Except as provided in paragraph (d), a recreational harvester may not possess in or on Florida Waters, on any dock, pier, bridge, beach, or other f…

(1) Recreational Open Season - The season for recreational harvest of Spanish mackerel is open throughout the year. (2) Commercial Open and Closed Seasons - (a) East Coast Region - Commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel in the East Coast Region is open beginning March 1 each year…

(1) A person may harvest or attempt to harvest Spanish mackerel from Florida Waters only by or with the use of a beach or haul seine, a cast net, hook and line gear, or by spearing. (2) A person may not harvest or attempt to harvest Spanish mackerel from Florida Waters with gear …

(1) The Commission shall issue a permit pursuant to rule 68B-2.010, F.A.C., to authorize Spanish mackerel caught in an organized tournament to be donated to a licensed wholesale dealer. (2) The operator of a vessel in Florida Waters is responsible for ensuring that the persons ab…

(1) The primary purpose and intent of this chapter are to protect and conserve Florida's spiny lobster resources, assure the continuing health and abundance of those resources, and to provide for optimum sustained benefits and use from the resources for all the people of the stat…

As used in this rule chapter: (1) "Artificial habitat" means any material placed in the waters of the state that is reasonably suited to providing cover and habitat for spiny lobster. Such material may be constructed of, but is not limited to, wood, metal, fiberglass, concrete, o…