Definitions, Bonefish Tournaments, Exemptions

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Marine Fisheries

Rule No. : RULE TITLE :
68B-34.002: Definitions
68B-34.005: Bonefish Tournaments, Exemptions

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 37 No. 9, March 4, 2011 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

Proposed amendment to Rule 68B-34.002 has been changed to include the following revised subsection (3):

(3) “Harvest for commercial purposes” means the taking or harvesting of fish for purposes of sale, barter, trade, or exchange, or with intent to sell, barter, trade, or exchange, or in excess of established bag limits.

Proposed amendment to Rule 68B-34.005 has been changed to include the following revised language:

(1) The Executive Director of the FWC, or his designee, shall issue a tournament exemption permit to the director of an organized tournament to allow for the temporary possession and transport of bonefish when such tournament will allow catch-and-release fishing for bonefish and when an applicant agrees to comply with the following provisions:

(a) through (d) No change.

(e) Organized tournament staff shall maintain at least one aerated or recirculating recovery tank at each certified scale and tournament check-in location. Organized tournament staff may hold up to one bonefish per 10 gallons of seawater in such a recovery tank prior to release. Bonefish must be released by official sunset each day of the tournament, as established and published by the U.S. Weather Service, and may not be possessed longer than 16 hours. Recovery holding tank requirements will be specified in the tournament exemption permit by the FWC in a manner to ensure insure increased survival of released bonefish.

(f) through (i) No change.

(2) Application for issuance of a tournament exemption permit shall be made on a form provided by the FWC (Form DMF-SL6000 (4-11), incorporated herein by reference and available online at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-00257 www.MyFWC.com/License).

(3) through (4) No change.

(5) Any violation of the conditions and requirements specified within the tournament exemption permit will be considered a violation of this rule and permits issued under this section are subject to the provisions of Rule 68A-5.004, F.A.C., such as denial of future tournament exemption permits.

No other changes were made to the rule amendments as proposed.