Florida Administrative Code

(1) Red Snapper Open Seasons. Pursuant to Section 120.81(5), F.S., the Commission shall give notice of red snapper open seasons for all waters of the Gulf of America: electronically at: www.myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/. (2) Red Snapper Closed Seasons. Except…

(1) In all state waters of the Gulf of America, except in all waters of Monroe County, the season for the recreational harvest and possession of gag grouper shall be September 1 through November 10 each year. Except for persons harvesting gag grouper for commercial purposes pursu…

(1) In all state waters of the Gulf of America the recreational harvest and possession of greater amberjack shall be prohibited January 1 through August 31 and from November 1 through December 31, each year (consistent with the Federal Standard established in 50 C.F.R. §622.34(c)…

In all state waters of the Gulf of America the recreational harvest and possession of gray triggerfish shall be prohibited January 1 through the end of February, and June 1 through July 31, each year (consistent with the Federal Standard established in 50 C.F.R. §622.34(f) as of …

(1) Hogfish Open Seasons. In all state waters of the Atlantic Ocean and south of 25°09' North Latitude in the Gulf of America, the season for the recreational harvest and possession of hogfish shall be May 1 through October 31 (consistent with the Federal Standard established in …

(1) Red Porgy Open Season. In all state waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the open season for the recreational harvest and possession of red porgy shall be May 1 through June 30 each year (consistent with the Federal Standard established in 50 C.F.R. §622.183(b)(9) as of January 19, …

(1) Licenses. (a) Each person harvesting any of the species listed in subsection 68B-14.001(2), F.A.C., for commercial purposes in state waters shall possess a valid saltwater products license with a restricted species endorsement and: 1. If fishing in state waters of the Atlanti…

(1) For a person aboard a vessel, for which a commercial vessel permit for Gulf reef fish has been issued or is required to fish for, possess, or land red snapper, red grouper, gag grouper, black grouper, scamp, yellowfin grouper, yellowmouth grouper, yellowedge grouper, snowy gr…

(1) Allowable gear. Except as provided in subsection (2), the following shall be the only gear types and methods allowed for the harvest in or from state waters of any of the species specified in subsection 68B-14.001(2), F.A.C.: (a) Hook and line gear. (b) A black sea bass trap …

(1) Possession of any fish in excess of any applicable bag limit or smaller than any minimum size limit established by this chapter by any person aboard a vessel fishing in state waters constitutes a violation of this chapter. Vessels for-hire that possess aboard the vessel a val…

(1) Open Areas - The areas open to the recreational harvest of goliath grouper include all Florida Waters of Nassau through St. Lucie counties, all Florida Waters of the Gulf of America in Monroe County, and all Florida Waters of Collier through Escambia counties. excluding all w…

The purpose and intent of this rule is to improve recreational harvest data collection capabilities for certain reef fish species by identifying the population of anglers and vessels for hire fishing for these species. (1) Recreational harvesters are required to report their inte…

(1) No person shall harvest or land a goliath grouper from Florida Waters or possess a goliath grouper unless: (a) Such person has been issued a recreational goliath grouper harvest permit pursuant to subsection (2); (b) Such person has been issued a goliath grouper tag pursuant …

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 11-25-84, Formerly 46-15.01, 46-15.001, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) A person may not harvest, take, harass, injure, or kill a sturgeon of the species Acipenser oxyrinchus. (2) This subsection will not be construed to prohibit unintentional injury of or contact with a sturgeon if it occurs in the course of normal fishing activities. A person w…

The queen conch, species Aliger gigas (formerly Strombus gigas), is hereby designated as a protected species. The purposes of designation as a protected species are to increase public awareness of the need for extensive conservation action in order to prevent this resource from b…

"Queen conch" means a conch of the species Aliger gigas (formerly Strombus gigas), or any part thereof. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-17-85, Amended 6-21-90, Formerly 46-16.002, Amended 9-1-13.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-17-85, Amended 6-21-90, 7-15-96, Formerly 46-16.003, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) A person may not harvest, kill, molest, harm or mutilate a queen conch within or without Florida Waters, or possess, transport or land a queen conch regardless of where harvested. (2) A person may harvest a queen conch shell if the shell does not contain a live queen conch at…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 12-11-86, Formerly 46-16.005, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Chapter 68B-16, F.A.C. does not apply to a wholesale or retail dealer who is in possession of queen conch if the queen conch was lawfully harvested and imported from a country other than the United States. (2) A wholesale or retail dealer in queen conch or products made from …

"Hard clam" means any species of wild or feral hard clam of the genus Mercenaria, or a part thereof. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-85, Formerly 46-17.02, Amended 4-11-94, 11-27-96, Formerly 46-17.002…

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest or land from Florida Waters or possess in or on Florida Waters a hard clam that is less than 1 inch in thickness across the hinge. (2) Sorting Requirement - A person harvesting hard clams shall sort the hard clams immediately after they a…

(1) Recreational Limits - (a) Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest or land per day from Florida Waters or possess in or on Florida Waters more than 5 gallons of hard clams (unshucked). (b) Vessel Limit - The persons aboard a vessel in or on Florida Waters may not …

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-85, Formerly 46-17.05, Amended 3-15-87, 4-11-94, 11-27-96, Formerly 46-17.005, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Allowed Gear and Method of Harvest - A person may harvest or attempt to harvest a hard clam from Florida Waters only by or with the use of feet, hands, rakes that meet the specifications in Rule 68B-17.0061, F.A.C., or tongs that meet the specifications in Rule 68B-17.0061, F…

(1) Specifications and Requirements for Allowed Gear - (a) Specifications for Rakes - A person may not harvest a hard clam with a rake that has less than 7/8 inch of clear space between the teeth on the horizontal harvesting surface of the rake. A person may not harvest a hard cl…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 4-11-94, Formerly 46-17.007, Repealed 9-1-13.

Shellfish endorsement - (1) Beginning July 1, 2015, except as provided in subsection (3), or for harvest from aquaculture leases pursuant to an aquaculture certificate issued by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, a commercial harvester may not harvest or…

(1) It is the intent of the Commission to annually review and evaluate the status and health of the bay scallop fishery. (2) Should it become necessary to close any area presently open to bay scalloping, or should the bay scallop resource recover sufficiently to allow the opening…

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…