The purpose of this rulemaking is to consolidate, clarify, streamline, and standardize Florida’s shrimp regulations in chapter 68B-31, F.A.C., to make these regulations easier for the public to read, understand, and enforce ....

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Marine Fisheries

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

68B-31.001Northeast Florida Live Bait Shrimp Fishery; Purpose and Intent

68B-31.002Definitions

68B-31.003Live Bait Shrimp Trawl Gear Specifications

68B-31.0035Trawls: Allowed Use; Maximum Square Footage of Mesh Area; Definitions

68B-31.004Trawl Gear Specifications: Turtle Excluder Devices Required; Exceptions; Definitions

68B-31.0045Trawl Gear Specifications: Bycatch Reduction Devices

68B-31.005Purpose and Intent; Repeal of Certain General and Special Acts; Designation of Shrimp as Restriction Species

68B-31.006Definitions

68B-31.007Statewide Recreational Shrimping Restrictions

68B-31.008Statewide Live Bait Shrimp Production Restrictions

68B-31.009Statewide Food Shrimp Production Restrictions

68B-31.010Northwest Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications

68B-31.011Big Bend Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications

68B-31.012Southwest Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications

68B-31.013Southeast Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications

68B-31.0135Southeast Region: Biscayne Bay (Dade County) Food Shrimp Production Season and Weekly Closures

68B-31.0136Southeast Region: Food Shrimp Production Closed Area (Portion of Monroe County)

68B-31.014Northeast Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications

68B-31.0155Northeast Florida Shrimping: Closed Season; Allowable Harvest Days; Commercial Food Shrimp Production License and Transferability; Closed Areas

68B-31.0156Florida East Coast Shrimp Bed: Repeal of Section 370.156, Florida Statutes; Seasonal Food Shrimp Production Closure; Exception; Definition

68B-31.0157East Coast: Night Trawling Prohibited; Exception

68B-31.016Tortugas Shrimp Beds: Repeal of Section 370.151(2), F.S. (1991); Redescription of Tortugas Shrimp Beds; Closed Areas

68B-31.017Big Bend Region Closed Areas; Seasonal Closures

68B-31.018Northwest Region Closed Areas; Repealed Special Acts

68B-31.019Regulation of Shrimp Fishing in Tampa Bay; License Requirements

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rulemaking is to consolidate, clarify, streamline, and standardize Florida’s shrimp regulations in chapter 68B-31, F.A.C., to make these regulations easier for the public to read, understand, and enforce as part of a long-term marine fisheries rule cleanup project. This rulemaking would make clarifying or non-substantive rule updates to implement the standardized rule formatting consistent with the rule clean-up process, as well as revise outdated language and taxonomic classifications. This rulemaking would also make substantive changes to convey the original intent of certain regulations or to better align with current fishery practices and therefore reduce confusion and improve the enforceability of shrimp regulations.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: The subject areas addressed in the rule development notice include definitions, size limits, bag limits, seasons, gear restrictions, open and closed areas, license requirements, and other subjects encompassed by the above-cited rules.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: Art. IV, Sec. 9, Florida Constitution.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: Art. IV, Sec. 9, Florida Constitution.

IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE NOTICED IN THE NEXT AVAILABLE FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE REGISTER.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Jessica McCawley, Director, Division of Marine Fisheries Management, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 620 S. Meridian St., Tallahassee, Florida 32399, and [phone].

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS NOT AVAILABLE.