Florida Administrative Code

(1) No person shall harvest or possess any spiny lobster with a carapace measurement of 3 inches or less or, if the tail is separated from the body, a tail measurement less than 5 1/2 inches not including any protruding muscle tissue, except as may be provided in subsection (3) o…

(1) A special recreational crawfish license is required to harvest spiny lobster from state waters in excess of the bag limit established for recreational harvesters in subsection (1) of Rule 68B-24.004, F.A.C., but not in excess of the special bag limit established in subsection…

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), and (4), the harvest from state waters, or possession while on or below such water, of more than 6 spiny lobster per recreational harvester per day, is prohibited. (2)(a) Except in Monroe County and in Biscayne National Park, during…

(1) Documentation Requirements During Open Season - During the open season specified in subsection 68B-24.005(1), F.A.C., a person may possess wrung spiny lobster tails or possess spiny lobster in excess of the bag limit specified in subsection 68B-24.004(1), F.A.C., while on sta…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this rule the season for harvest of spiny lobster in state waters shall be August 6 of each year through March 31 of the following year. No person shall harvest, attempt to harvest, or have in his possession, regardless of where taken, …

(1) Section 379.367, F.S., requires each person using traps to harvest spiny lobster or taking spiny lobster in commercial quantities to purchase and possess a trap number, also known as a crawfish endorsement or crawfish license. A crawfish endorsement is hereby required to harv…

(1) No commercial harvester shall harvest lobster by any means other than by diving, by the use of a bully net or hoop net, or by the use of traps as specified in this subsection. (2) No person shall, in state waters, fish with, set, place, or cause to be fished with, set, or pla…

(1) During the two-day sport season established in subsection 68B-24.005(2), F.A.C., there shall be no harvest of spiny lobster in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Except for persons transiting park waters in a vessel, no person shall possess any spiny lobster in or on the w…

As provided in Rule 68B-7.008, F.A.C., no person shall harvest or attempt to harvest any species of the families Palinuridae (spiny or furry lobsters) or Scyllaridae (slipper lobsters), or deploy any trap, in the Coral Reef Protection Areas of Biscayne National Park. Rulemaking A…

(1) The harvest or possession of eggbearing spiny lobster, or any other species of lobster belonging to the families Palinuridae (spiny or furry lobsters) or Scyllaridae (slipper lobsters) is prohibited. Eggbearing spiny lobster, or any other species of lobster in the families li…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-2-87, Amended 7-2-90, Formerly 46-24.008, Repealed 7-1-08.

Upon the sale or transfer of lobster trap certificates outside the immediate family of the certificate holder, the number of certificates received by the purchaser shall be reduced by 10 percent. Once the number of lobster trap certificates is reduced through this mechanism to 40…

(1) The purpose of this rule is to minimize user group conflicts within the boundaries of Tampa Bay Park in Hillsborough County, while maintaining reasonable access by all user groups to the marine resources in the waters of that park. (2) The following waters of Old Tampa Bay in…

(1) The waters of E.G. Simmons Park in Hillsborough County are closed to the harvest of all fishes by net, excluding the use of common hand cast nets or hand-held landing or dip nets. The possession of any net, other than a common hand cast net or hand-held landing or dip net, wi…

(1) Chapter 15379, Laws of Florida (1931), as amended by Chapter 18740, Laws of Florida (1937), a rule of the Department of Natural Resources pursuant to paragraph (5)(a) of section 2 of Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, is hereby repealed. The Marine Fisheries Commission has dete…

"Live shellfish" means any living mollusk (Phylum Mollusca) or echinoderm (Phylum Echinodermata). Live shellfish does not include oysters (Crassostrea virginica), hard clams (Mercenaria spp.), sunray venus clams (Macrocallista nimbosa), bay scallops (Argopecten irradians), or coq…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 10-15-87, Amended 9-1-93, 1-1-95, 4-1-96, Formerly 46-26.003, Amended 8-3-00, 2-28-02, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Lee County -A person may not harvest a live shellfish in Lee County or possess a live shellfish in or on the Florida Waters within Lee County that are seaward of the mean high water line. (2) Manatee County - A person may not harvest in Manatee County more than 2 live shellfi…

Additional regulations applicable to the harvest, sale, and delivery of oysters established by the Department pursuant to s. 597.020, F.S., may be found in The Comprehensive Shellfish Control Code, Chapter 5L-1, F.A.C. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Impleme…

As used in this chapter: (1) "Apalachicola Bay" means all Florida Waters within St. George Sound, East Bay in Franklin County, Apalachicola Bay, and St. Vincent Sound in Franklin County, and all Florida Waters within Indian Lagoon in Gulf County, including canals, channels, river…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (3), a person may not harvest or land from Florida Waters or possess any oyster less than 3 inches in greatest dimension. Oysters that are 3 inches or more in greatest dimension shall be legal size. (2)(a) A person harvesting oysters from Flor…

(1) Commercial Limits - (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) for waters of Apalachicola Bay, a commercial harvester may not harvest or land from Florida Waters or possess more than 20 bags of oysters per person or per vessel, whichever is less, per day. (b) A commercial harves…

(1) Each year, the annual harvest level for each public reef in Apalachicola Bay meeting the criteria to open such public reef to harvest in paragraph 68B-27.008(3)(a), F.A.C., shall be calculated as 10% of the estimated abundance of legal-sized oysters on each such public reef. …

(1) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, a person may not harvest or land an oyster from Florida Waters or possess an oyster beginning July 1 and continuing through September 30 of each year. (2) In Apalachicola Bay: (a) Through December 31, 2025, a person may not harvest o…

(1) A person may harvest or attempt to harvest an oyster only by or with the use of the following gear or methods: (a) By hand, while diving, swimming, leaning from vessels, or wading, and except as provided in paragraph (1)(b) by tongs. (b) Tongs. 1. Through December 31, 2025, a…

(1) If one or more licenses are required to harvest oysters within a specific region or area pursuant to Rule 68B-27.009, F.A.C., such license(s) is also required for the commercial harvester to sell or offer for sale such oysters. (2) A wholesale dealer, as defined in Section 37…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), a person may only harvest an oyster from shellfish harvesting areas open to the harvest of oysters as designated by the Department pursuant to subsection 5L-1.003(1), F.A.C. (2)(a) A person may not harvest or land an oyster from any area …

(1) Commercial License Requirements - (a) Shellfish Endorsement. 1. A commercial harvester may not harvest or attempt to harvest from Florida Waters, possess, land, or sell or attempt to sell oysters unless such person possesses a valid Saltwater Products License and a valid Shel…

(1) A commercial harvester harvesting oysters from areas where monitoring stations are in operation must: (a) Before leaving the waters of these areas, pass through a monitoring station; (b) Before arriving at a monitoring station, place all oysters on board their vessel in bags;…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Amended 11-29-93, 11-27-96, Formerly 46-27.013, Amended 1-26-21, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Amended 11-29-93, 7-15-96, Formerly 46-27.014, Amended 6-1-99, 1-26-21, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Formerly 46-27.015, Amended 10-7-01, Repealed 12-24-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Amended 11-29-93, Formerly 46-27.016, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Amended 11-29-93, Formerly 46-27.017, Amended 6-1-99, 9-1-05, 5-18-06, 6-1-12, 1-26-21, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 6-25-18, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Formerly 46-27.018, Amended 6-7-10, 11-26-14, 1-26-21, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Amended 10-3-94, 7-15-96, Formerly 46-27.019, Amended 9-1-05, 1-26-21, Repealed 12-9-25.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-10-91, Formerly 46-27.020, Repealed 12-9-25.

As used in Chapter 68B-28, F.A.C. and 379.248, F.S.: (1) "Sponge" means any animal of the Phylum Porifera, or part thereof. (2) "Commercial sponge" means an animal of the Order Dictyoceratida, or part thereof. This Order includes the sheepswool, yellow, grass, glove, finger, wire…

A person may not harvest or land from Florida Waters or possess in or on Florida Waters a commercial sponge that when wet is less than 5 inches in its greatest dimension measured across the top of the sponge. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. …

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 5-13-02, Amended 3-1-05, 7-1-07, Repealed 9-1-13.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 5-13-02, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest per day within or without Florida Waters, land per day, or possess in or on Florida Waters more than 10 pieces of commercial sponge. (2) Exception for Commercial Harvest - A person may not exceed the recreation…

(1) Harvest of Commercial Sponge by Hook - A person may use a hook that is 5 inches in width to remove a commercial sponge from Florida Waters. A person may not remove a commercial sponge from Florida Waters with a hook that is larger or smaller than 5 inches in width. (2) Harves…

(1) Prohibited Harvest of Commercial Sponge by Diving - Except in the areas described in paragraphs (2)(a) and (2)(b), a person may not harvest a commercial sponge from Florida Waters by diving. (2) Areas Open to the Harvest of Commercial Sponge by Diving - (a) A person may harve…

A person may not sell a commercial sponge, unless they are in possession of a valid saltwater products license with a Sponge Endorsement. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 9-1-13.

A person may not harvest or land a sponge in or from the waters of Biscayne National Park or possess a sponge harvested from the waters of Biscayne National Park. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 9-1-13.

As used in Chapter 68B-29, F.A.C.: (1) "Sardine" means a fish of the species Sardinella aurita, commonly known as Spanish sardine, or Sardinella brasiliensis, commonly known as orangespot sardine, or any part thereof. (2) "West Central Florida Region" means the state waters of Pi…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 4-1-89, Amended 1-1-91, 1-1-95, Formerly 46-29.003, Repealed 9-1-13.

(1) General Vessel Limit - The persons aboard a vessel in the West Central Florida Region may not collectively harvest or land more than 500 pounds of sardines per day or possess more than 500 pounds of sardines, regardless of the number of licensed or license-exempt persons onbo…