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Florida Administrative Code (Last Updated: April 18, 2024) |
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68. Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission |
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68B. Marine Fisheries |
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68B-31. Shrimp |
1Each person harvesting shrimp in or on the waters of the state as a live bait shrimp producer shall comply with the requirements specified in this rule.
28(1) Allowable Gear –
32(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), for the Northeast Region, no person shall harvest shrimp as a live bait shrimp producer with any type of gear other than a roller frame trawl meeting the following specifications:
691. Neither the upper nor lower horizontal beam on a roller frame trawl so used is greater than 16 feet in length.
912. The vertical bars shielding the trawl opening are spaced no more than 3 inches apart.
1073. No more than two such trawls, unconnected, shall be towed by a single vessel at any time.
1254. The netting of the trawl shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 14268B-31.0035(2), 143F.A.C.
144(b) In the Northeast Region, except as provided for Volusia County in paragraph 15768B-3.008(3)(f), 158F.A.C., no person shall harvest shrimp as a live bait shrimp producer with any type of gear other than those specified herein:
1801. A roller frame trawl meeting the specifications prescribed in paragraph (a), of this subsection.
1952. An otter trawl meeting the specifications of Rule 20468B-31.003, 205F.A.C.
206(c) No trawl shall be used for live bait shrimp production that has a mesh size less than 5/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and less than 1/2 inch bar measurement in the cod end.
245(2) Live Well Requirements – Shrimp harvested as live bait pursuant to this rule shall be constantly maintained in wet live storage condition to minimize mortality. All such shrimp harvested by use of allowable trawling gear shall be directly and expeditiously transported from the harvesting vessel to onshore facilities on the premises of a licensed wholesale or retail saltwater products dealer with equipment functioning to maintain the quality of shrimp delivered in a live, healthy condition. Shrimp so delivered shall be placed in a tank of clean saline, aerated water at that facility and shall be maintained alive throughout all handling and storage processes. Equipment to maintain live bait shrimp during harvest pursuant to this rule and during subsequent transport and storage shall, at a minimum, meet the following requirements.
375(a) Vessel requirements – Each vessel engaged in the harvest of live bait shrimp pursuant to this rule shall be equipped with a watertight tank, containing a minimum of 16 cubic feet of continuously aerated saline water during such harvest and during transport of any live bait shrimp.
423(b) Vehicle requirements – Each vehicle used to transport live bait shrimp harvested pursuant to this rule shall be equipped with a watertight tank, containing a minimum of 32 cubic feet of continuously aerated saline water during transport and holding on the vehicle.
466(c) Storage requirements – Each facility used to store live bait shrimp harvested pursuant to this rule, on the premises of a licensed wholesale or retail saltwater products dealer, shall be equipped with a watertight tank, containing a minimum of 32 cubic feet of continuously aerated saline water during storage.
516(3) No person harvesting shrimp in or on the waters of the state shall operate as a live bait shrimp producer and as a food shrimp producer or a recreational harvester on the same trip.
551(4) No person shall sell or offer for sale shrimp harvested pursuant to a Commercial Live Shrimp Production License issued as provided in Section 575379.247, F.S., 577as anything other than live bait.
583(5) Each person harvesting shrimp in or on the waters of the state as a live bait shrimp producer shall land such shrimp from the harvesting vessel. The transfer of such shrimp to another vessel while in or on the waters of the state is prohibited.
629(6)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), for the specified waters of the Northeast Region, no person harvesting shrimp in or on the waters of the state as a live bait shrimp producer shall possess aboard the vessel at any time more than 5 gallons of dead shrimp, heads on.
679(b) In the inshore waters of Nassau and Duval Counties, no person harvesting shrimp as a live bait shrimp producer shall possess aboard the vessel at any time more than 1 gallon of dead shrimp, heads on.
716(7) Each person harvesting shrimp in or on the waters of the state as a live bait shrimp producer shall possess a valid saltwater products license with a restricted species endorsement. Persons harvesting shrimp within the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or clay Counties as a live bait shrimp producer must also possess a valid Commercial Live Shrimp Production License issued as provided in Section 785379.247, F.S.
787Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 1-1-92, Amended 10-3-94, 1-1-96, Formerly 46-31.008, Amended 12-2-99, 2-28-02, 3-1-05, 5-1-22.
