Florida Administrative Code

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…

A person who is harvesting or attempting to harvest sardines with a net or seine that is 100 feet or greater in length is considered to be harvesting sardines for commercial purposes and shall comply with the provisions of this chapter that are applicable to the harvest of sardin…

A person may not harvest a sardine for commercial purposes in the following area: All waters of Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee Counties east of a line 500 yards west and running parallel to the COLREGS Demarcation Line, between the Pinellas-Pasco County line on the north and…