68E-5.002. Reporting Requirements

(1) Fisheries statistical information on the production of saltwater fish, saltwater products, bait, and marine life shall be reported to the Commission whenever the product is sold, exchanged, bartered, distributed, or landed for the first time. Records of subsequent sales between wholesale dealers or brokers are not required by this rule.

(2) The following persons shall report fisheries statistical information as described in Section 68E-5.003, F.A.C.

(a) Wholesale dealers who purchase or receive saltwater fish, saltwater products, bait, or marine life from a producer shall report.

(b) Wholesale or retail dealers who own, rent or lease vessel(s) intended for the production of saltwater fish, saltwater products, bait, or marine life shall report, except when the product is sold directly to another wholesale dealer. In such cases the purchasing wholesale dealer shall report.

(c) Producers who catch and land saltwater fish, saltwater products, bait, or marine life for sale direct to the consumer or interstate shipment shall report.

(d) Each producer who sells or otherwise provides saltwater fish, saltwater products, bait, or marine life to a wholesale dealer shall provide to the dealer, at the time of sale, accurate information about such production as required by this chapter.

(3) Fisheries statistical information shall be recorded on marine fisheries trip tickets supplied by the Commission or on approved alternate forms.

(4) Trip tickets, or approved alternate forms, must be maintained by the producer, wholesale dealer or retail dealer for a period not less than three (3) years from the date of the recorded transaction.

(5) An alternate form designed by wholesale dealers for their own use requires approval by the Commission and may be substituted for the marine fisheries trip ticket provided the following procedures are met and complied with:

(a) All requests for approval of an alternate form must be submitted to the Commission's Marine Research Institute, Fisheries Statistics Section, in writing prior to use. A copy of the proposed alternate form must be attached to or included with the request.

(b) The alternate form must provide identical information, follow the same format, be sequentially numbered and provide the same number of copies as the Commission’s marine fisheries trip ticket to facilitate data processing and compliance with reporting distribution requirements, as listed in paragraph (7), below, and in Section 379.361, F.S.

(c) Upon receipt of a request for approval of an alternate form, the Commission will review the form for the required information, verify species information and assign a unique prefix to be placed before the dealer’s invoice number (e.g., TS0000001) within five (5) work days of receipt of the request.

(d) The dealer must provide the final “proof” of the alternate trip ticket form, obtained from the printer, to the Commission for final review and approval prior to printing.

(e) The Commission will review and approve (if in compliance) and return the proof within five (5) work days to the dealer for printing.

(f) The dealer must continue to provide the Commission with the required trip ticket information on the Commission’s form (FWC Form #33-610) during the review and approval process as required in paragraph (7), below.

(g) All persons that use an approved alternate form shall be responsible for all costs associated with the printing and use of such forms.

(6) Dealers may elect to submit and/or report trip ticket data on diskette via a computer program, provided that the output is compatible with the Commission’s trip ticket system. A printed copy of the reported trip ticket information must be made available to the fisherman by the dealer and a printed copy must be kept on file by the dealer for inspection by the Commission pursuant to Section 379.362(6), F.S. Any computer-generated output to be used by a dealer must be reviewed for format and compatibility and approved by the Commission prior to use following the same procedures outlined in subsection (5), above.

(7) Two copies of each marine fisheries trip ticket or approved alternate form must be received by the Commission as specified below:

(a) Wholesale dealers, who purchase or produce annually 5,000 pounds or more of species for which seasonal harvest limits or quotas have been set, or for which season closures linked to regional federal limits or quotas have been set, by rule of Fish and Wildlife Commission, or by statute must submit all marine fisheries trip tickets or approved alternate forms weekly. Dealers may choose the day of the week to begin. Marine fisheries trip tickets or approved alternate forms must be received by the Commission not later than five (5) work days after the end of that week. These wholesale dealers shall also be required to notify the Commission, prior to the harvest season, of intent to purchase or produce the quantities specified above and to provide summary landings totals on a weekly or daily basis by phone when catch totals for those time periods are likely to exceed the remaining harvest under the quota.

(b) Wholesale dealers who do not handle quantities of species as specified in paragraph (7)(a), above, must submit all marine fisheries trip tickets or approved alternate forms at least monthly and not later than ten (10) work days after the end of the month for which the reports are due.

(c) Self addressed mailing envelopes shall be provided upon request to those who must report.

(d) The mailing address for all correspondence, requests for forms, envelopes, county codes, species codes, area codes, gear codes, or information, and for submission of marine fisheries trip tickets or approved alternate forms is:

Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Florida Marine Research Institute

Fisheries Statistics Section

100 Eighth Avenue, S. E.

St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5095

Rulemaking AuthorityArticle IV, Section 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented 379.361, 379.362 FS. History–New 10-17-84, Formerly 16B-45.02, 16B-45.002, 16R-13.002, Amended 12-31-89, Formerly 16R-5.002, Amended 1-5-95, 6-11-95, Formerly 62R-5.002.