Purpose
The purpose of this rule amendment is to correct existing coordinates in rule to match the positions of the referenced or other present-day landmarks in Chapter 68B-38, Florida Administrative Code (FAC), using current technology.
Many of the Commission’s marine fisheries rules contain geographic coordinates that define the boundaries of where rules apply. Over time some of these coordinates have become inaccurate for a variety of reasons, including the repositioning or removals of landmarks like navigation aids and piers and natural changes in shorelines. The accuracy of GPS technology has also improved since many of these coordinates were established. The purpose of this rule amendment is to improve the description of an area off of Taylor County where trawling for shrimp is prohibited. Currently, the description of the area uses aids to navigation and shoreline landmarks, most of which have an associated geographic coordinate. The geographic coordinates defining three of the landmarks have inaccuracies ranging from approximately 1,300 to 1,800 feet. In addition, two of the referenced aids to navigation no longer exist and one description of a shoreline landmark is vague and may lead to confusion.
The effect of this rule amendment will be an improved description of the area closed to trawling off of Taylor County. This will be accomplished by correcting the inaccurate geographic coordinates defining referenced landmarks, removing references to aids to navigation which no longer exist, and by establishing geographic coordinates in place of one currently difficult to interpret shoreline landmark.