The purpose of this rule development notice is to address rule amendments for shrimp. The Commission is considering rule changes that will increase recreational access to the shrimp fishery in the Big Bend area; allow commercial ....

 

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Marine Fisheries

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

68B-31.003Live Bait Shrimp Trawl Gear Specifications

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-31.017Big Bend Region Closed Areas; Seasonal Closures

68B-31.018Northwest Region Closed Areas; Repealed Special Acts

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: The purpose of this rule development notice is to address rule amendments for shrimp. The Commission is considering rule changes that will increase recreational access to the shrimp fishery in the Big Bend area; allow commercial food shrimp harvesters to use and possess a high-salinity freezer tank to quickly freeze shrimp; clarify the boundary for the closed area in Santa Rosa Sound; correct the name of the “Live Bait Shrimp License” and update a definition referring to that license; and add a definition of “inland waters” to be consistent with Florida Statutes.

The effect of these rule amendments would be to allow limited recreational harvest of shrimp within the Big Bend area; establish a recreational daily bag limit for shrimp harvested in the Big Bend area; allow the use of high-salinity freezer tanks to quickly freeze shrimp; and to improve the clarity, accuracy, and enforceability of current shrimp regulations and other topics related to shrimp harvest requirements.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Subject areas addressed in the rule development notice include changes or updates to allowable gear for commercial food shrimp harvest, definitions, recreational regulations relative to the Big Bend area, the live bait shrimp production license name, statewide food shrimp production restrictions, and closed areas.

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 AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE FROM THE CONTACT PERSON LISTED ABOVE.