Florida Administrative Code

(1) No person shall harvest or possess for sale any live rock in or from state waters or land any live rock harvested in or from state waters, except as may be provided in subsection (3). (2) No person shall sell, within the State of Florida, any live rock harvested in or from fe…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2), no person shall take, attempt to take, or otherwise destroy, or sell, or attempt to sell, any sea fan of the species Gorgonia flabellum or of the species Gorgonia ventalina, or any hard or stony coral (Order Scleractinia), any black coral…

(1) The purpose and intent of this chapter are to protect and conserve Florida's bluefish resources and assure the continuing health and abundance of the species. It is also the intent of the Commission to manage bluefish in such a manner as to permit an equitable statewide comme…

As used in this rule chapter: (1) "Bluefish" means any fish of the species Pomatomus saltatrix, or any part thereof. (2) "Atlantic Region" means all Florida Waters of the Atlantic Ocean north and east of the Miami-Dade/Monroe county line at Card Sound. (3) "Gulf Region" means all…

(1) Size Limit - (a) Altantic Region - A person may not harvest or land from the Atlantic Region, or possess in or on the Atlantic Region, a bluefish that is less than 12 inches in fork length. (b) Gulf Region - A person may not harvest or possess within or without waters of the …

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - (a) Atlantic Region - A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from the Atlantic Region more than 3 bluefish per day. A recreational harvester may not possess in or on the Atlantic Region more than 3 bluefish. (b) Gulf Region - A recreational …

Commercial harvest for bluefish is permitted between January 1 and December 31 each year unless closed earlier as follows: (1) If the total commercial harvest of bluefish from the Atlantic Region is projected to reach the annual quota provided to Florida by the Mid-Atlantic Fishe…

As used in this rule chapter: (1) "Finned" means one or more fins, including the caudal fin (tail), are no longer naturally attached to the body of the shark. A shark with fins naturally attached, either wholly or partially, is not considered finned. (2) "Shark" means any species…

(1) Size Limits - (a) Shortfin mako - 1. A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from Florida Waters a shortfin mako that is less than 83 inches fork length. Except as provided in subparagraph (1)(a)2., a recreational harvester may not possess in or on Florida Waters a s…

(1) Recreational Bag and Vessel Limit - (a) A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from Florida Waters more than one shark per day. A recreational harvester may not possess in or on Florida Waters more than one shark. (b) Two or more recreational harvesters aboard a ves…

(1) If at any time the harvest of any species of shark for commercial purposes in adjacent federal waters is closed, adjacent Florida Waters will be closed to commercial harvest of the species affected by the federal closure, from the date of such closure until federal waters are…

(1) A person may harvest or attempt to harvest a shark from Florida Waters only by or with the use of hook-and-line gear. (2) The harvest of any shark from Florida Waters by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited. Snagging…

(1) A commercial harvester may only sell a shark, or any part thereof, to a holder of a valid federal Atlantic shark dealer permit issued pursuant to 50 C.F.R. §635.4, as of January 1, 2019. (2) No wholesale dealer, as defined in section 379.362(1), F.S., may purchase a shark, or…

This rule is held for future open and closed areas. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 4-8-92, Amended 1-1-98, Formerly 46-44.008, Amended 7-1-03, 3-9-06, 1-19-10, 3-21-10, 1-1-12, 7-1-19.

(1) A commercial harvester may not harvest from Florida Waters, possess, or land a shark or sell a shark, unless such person possesses both a valid saltwater products license, and any applicable federal permit for sharks required by 50 C.F.R. §635.4 (as of January 1, 2019) or wri…

(1) The purpose and intent of this chapter is to protect and conserve Florida's blue crab resources and assure the continuing health and abundance of the species. (2) It is the intent of this chapter to expressly effect the repeal of and replace the second distinct sentence of su…

As used in this rule chapter: (1) "Blue crab" means any crustacean of the species Callinectes sapidus, or any part thereof. (2) "Bycatch reduction device" or "BRD" means a rigid rectangular device or implement that forms the perimeter of the opening of a throat or entrance to a t…

Except as provided in subsection 68B-45.004(5), F.A.C., for crabs to be used as live bait, no person harvesting for commercial purposes shall possess any blue crabs measuring less than five inches measured from the tip of one lateral spine to the tip of the opposite lateral spine…

(1) Except as provided in subsections (2), (3), (4), (5) and (6), below, the following types of gear shall be the only types of gear allowed for the harvest of blue crab in or from state waters: (a) Traps meeting the following specifications: 1. Traps shall be constructed of wire…

(1) In order to facilitate the identification and removal of lost and abandoned traps the following restrictions shall apply. (a) The use of traps to harvest blue crabs is prohibited for a period of up to ten days in the following regions: 1. All waters of the St. Johns River, it…

Except for persons harvesting pursuant to a saltwater products license with a blue crab endorsement and a restricted species endorsement, no person shall harvest in or from state waters in any one day or possess while in or on state waters, more than 10 gallons of whole blue crab…

(1) The harvest, possession, purchase, or sale of eggbearing blue crabs is prohibited. Eggbearing blue crabs found in traps shall be immediately returned to the water free, alive and unharmed. The practice of stripping or otherwise molesting eggbearing blue crabs in order to remo…

(1) Beginning in the 2007/2008 license year, in addition to a valid saltwater products license and a valid restricted species endorsement, a blue crab effort management endorsement number is required to harvest or possess blue crab in quantities greater than the recreational bag …

(1) For conviction of a violation involving use of blue crab traps without current year trap tags pursuant to paragraph 68B-45.007(7)(b), F.A.C., the Commission shall assess administrative penalties pursuant to Section 379.366(4)(a), F.S., as follows: (a) For a first violation: 1…

The purpose and intent of this rule is to improve recreational harvest data collection capabilities and estimates of trap effort for the recreational blue crab trap fishery by identifying the population of recreational harvesters participating in this trap fishery. (1)(a) Recreat…

As used in this rule chapter: (1) "Harvest" means the catching or taking of a horseshoe crab, by any means whatsoever, followed by a reduction of such crab to possession. Horseshoe crabs that are caught but immediately returned to the water free, alive, and unharmed are not harve…

(1) No person shall harvest, possess, or sell any horseshoe crab unless that person possesses a valid saltwater products license. Horseshoe crabs shall be considered saltwater products for purposes of Section 379.362, F.S. (2) The harvest or attempted harvest of any horseshoe cra…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-17-95, Amended 1-1-98, Formerly 46-47.001, Amended 7-1-06, 7-27-10, Repealed 9-1-13.

As used in Chapter 68B-47, F.A.C.: (1) "Weakfish," also known as gray seatrout or yellow-mouth trout, means a fish harvested from the Weakfish Management Area that is of the species Cynoscion regalis or Cynoscion arenarius (sand seatrout), or a hybrid of the two species. Weakfish…

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest from the Weakfish Management Area a weakfish that is less than 12 inches in total length. A person may not possess in or on Florida Waters or land a weakfish that is less than 12 inches in total length. (2) Landed in Whole Condition Requi…

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from the Weakfish Management Area more than 1 weakfish per day or possess in the Weakfish Management Area more than 1 weakfish. (2) Commercial Limits - (a) Limits for Directed Harvest - 1. Bag Limit - A…

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-27-10, Repealed 9-1-13.

A person may not harvest or attempt to harvest a weakfish by spearing. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-27-10, Amended 9-1-13.

(1) The provisions of Chapter 68B-47, F.A.C., apply to the harvest of fish within the Weakfish Management Area that are of the species Cynoscion regalis and Cynoscion arenarius (sand seatrout), and hybrids of the two species. (2) A fish of the species Cynoscion regalis or Cynosci…

(1) Flounder is hereby designated as a restricted species pursuant to Section 379.101(32), F.S. (2) The regulations in this chapter apply in all Florida Waters and in adjacent federal waters. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. …

"Flounder" means any of the following species or any part thereof: (1) Paralichthys albigutta (gulf flounder); (2) Paralichthys lethostigma (southern flounder); (3) Paralichthys dentatus (summer flounder), or (4) Etropus crossotus (fringed flounder). Rulemaking Authority Art. IV,…

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest or possess within or without Florida Waters or land a flounder that is less than 14 inches in total length. (2) Landed in Whole Condition Requirement - A person harvesting flounder shall land each flounder in whole condition. A person may…

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest or possess within or without Florida Waters or land more than 5 flounder per day. (2) Commercial Limits - (a) Commercial Bag Limit - 1. Beginning December 1 and continuing through October 14 of the following ye…

(1) Recreational Closed Season - A recreational harvester may not harvest or possess within or without Florida Waters or land a flounder beginning October 15 and continuing through November 30 each year. (2) Commercial Closed Season - There is no closed season for flounder applic…

(1) Allowed Gear and Method of Harvest - A person may harvest or attempt to harvest a flounder within or without Florida Waters only by or with the use of beach or haul seine, cast net, hook and line gear, or by spearing. (2) Prohibited Gear and Method of Harvest - (a) A person m…

(1) The provisions of Chapter 68B-48, F.A.C., do not apply to flounder artificially spawned and raised in a commercial aquaculture facility. (2) A person who is in possession of or offering for sale a flounder that was artificially spawned and raised in a commercial aquaculture f…

(1) Tripletail is hereby designated a restricted species pursuant to section 379.101(32), F.S. (2) The regulations in this chapter apply in all Florida Waters and in adjacent federal waters. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. C…

"Tripletail" means a fish of the species Lobotes surinamensis, or any part thereof. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-96, Amended 8-31-98, Formerly 46-49.002, Amended 9-1-13.

(1) Size Limit - A person may not harvest or possess within or without Florida Waters, or land a tripletail that is less than 18 inches in total length. (2) Landed in Whole Condition Requirement - A person harvesting tripletail shall land each tripletail in whole condition. A per…

(1) Recreational Bag Limit - A recreational harvester may not harvest or possess within or without Florida Waters or land more than 2 tripletail per day. (2) Commercial Limits - (a) Commercial Bag Limit - A commercial harvester may not harvest or possess within or without Florida…

(1) Allowed Gear and Method of Harvest - A person may harvest a tripletail within or without Florida Waters only by or with the use of hook and line gear. (2) Prohibited Gear and Method of Harvest - (a) A person may not harvest a tripletail within or without Florida Waters with g…

(1) No person shall take, kill, or possess any of the following fish in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: (a) Angelfishes - Family Pomacanthidae. (b) Basslets - Family Grammidae. (c) Batfishes - Family Ogcocephalidae. (d) Bigeyes - Family Priacanthidae. (e) Bonnetmouths - Fam…