Published on: 20077659. The purpose and effect of this rule development notice is to address possible rule amendments for local laws in the 2018 calendar year resulting from management or enforcement requirements, or to address amendments resulting from the agency’s comprehensive review of Division 68B.
Published on: 14867789. The purpose of this rule development is to repeal the Special Acts of Local Application for Manatee County. These Special Acts pre-date the statewide regulation of marine fisheries and were originally enacted by the Legislature as local fishing laws. As part of its comprehensive marine fisheries rule review, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, with input from affected counties, is evaluating all Special Acts to determine which ones are still necessary.
The Special Acts of Manatee County, Chapters 19961, 26000, 27697, 61-2452, 63-1585, 67-1685, and 67-1883, provide for the use of certain gear types in the county, set bag and possession limits for saltwater species, and authorize both county and local governments to adopt ordinances to enforce these Special Acts. These Special Acts are either more restrictive than or in direct conflict with more recent statewide regulations addressing the use of gear and the management of marine fisheries.
The effect of these rules will be to remove a series of outdated or redundant local saltwater fishing rules and to conform the regulations for these counties to statewide saltwater fishing rules, improving enforceability and public understanding of Florida’s fishing regulations and creating additional fishing opportunities.
Published on: 14540220. The purpose of this rule development is to repeal the Special Acts of Local Application (Special Acts) for Manatee County.
Chapter 19961 limits the type of nets that can be used near Manatee County municipalities. Chapter 26000 limits the types of nets that can be used in Manatee County inland salt waters. Chapter 27697 specifies inland waters where haul nets can be used in Manatee County. Chapter 61-2452 closes certain interior waters of Anna Maria Island to net fishing, while Chapter 63-1585 closes most of the Manatee River to commercial fishing. This chapter also prohibits the use or possession of traps and certain net gears and establishes aggregate bag and possession limits of no more than 15 saltwater food fish on the Manatee River. Chapter 67-1685 closes certain saltwater canals of Manatee County to net fishing, limits the possession of certain types of gear, and sets possession limits for saltwater fish in these canals. The chapter also prohibits blocking waterways with nets and authorizes the Manatee County Commission to regulate the harvest of fish in the county. Chapter 67-1883 limits the types of gear that can be used in the salt waters of the City of Palmetto. These Special Acts will be repealed in order to allow current, relevant statewide rules to apply in Manatee County.
The effect of this rule will be to repeal a series of outdated saltwater fishing regulations, eliminate redundancy and conflicting rules, and increase consistency in current statewide regulations. The repeal of Chapters 19961, 26000, 27697, 61-2452, 63-1585, 67-1685, 67-1883, Manatee County Special Acts, will eliminate redundant and unnecessary regulation and create greater consistency among Florida fishing regulations by allowing existing statewide gear and fishing regulations already addressed in Florida Statutes, the Florida Constitution, and Florida Administrative Code to apply in Manatee County.