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 Northwest Region Closed Areas; Repealed Special Acts

(1) Pursuant to public hearings held in the affected counties on June 26, 27, and 29, 1989, as required by paragraph (5)(d) of section (2) of Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, and after making specific findings of fact required by the same provision, the Marine Fisheries Commission hereby repeals the following special acts, or portions thereof, which were made rules of the Department of Environmental Protection (formerly the Department of Natural Resources) by section 2, subsection (5) of Chapter 83-134, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapter 84-121, Laws of Florida:

(a) Subsections (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (8), (9), (10), (11), and (13) of Section 4 of Chapter 65-905, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapters 68-77 and 76-380, Laws of Florida. Applicable to Wakulla, Franklin, and Gulf Counties, these provisions of the special acts deal with prescribed shrimp count, shrimping gear specifications, State Board of Conservation authority to close areas to shrimping, and a prescribed shrimp sampling regime.

(b) Chapter 67-1063, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapter 81-377, Laws of Florida. Applicable to Franklin County, these special acts deal with prescribed shrimp count, sampling regime, and areas and times for shrimping.

(c) Chapter 72-546, Laws of Florida, as amended by Chapter 79-460, Laws of Florida. Applicable to Franklin County, these special acts provide for open and closed seasons for shrimp harvest east of the Bryant Patton Bridge in Apalachicola Bay and St. George Sound.

(2) The following described waters of Franklin County are closed to the harvest of shrimp year-round:

(a) All inland waters north of the John Gorrie Bridge in Apalachicola Bay, beginning at the west end of the John Gorrie Memorial Bridge (US Highway 98), then following the shoreline, including all bays and tributaries north of the bridge, northerly, easterly, then southerly back to the east end of John Gorrie Memorial Bridge, then westerly across the bridge to the point of beginning.

(b) All inland waters of the Carrabelle River and its tributaries upriver of a straight line beginning at 29°50.170'N, 84°39.780'W and ending at 29°50.170'N, 84°39.570'W.

(c) All waters of Sheepshead Bayou internal to St. Vincent Island.

(d) All waters of Big Bayou adjacent to and internal to St. Vincent Island south of a straight line beginning at 29°40.897'N, 85°10.012'W and ending at 29°41.126'N, 85°08.184'W.

(3) All waters of Apalachicola Bay and St. Vincent Sound in Franklin County are closed to the harvest of shrimp between the hours of official sunrise and official sundown, beginning on July 15 and continuing through September 14 each year.

(4) The waters of Franklin County within the following described boundaries are closed to the harvest of shrimp beginning on September 15 and continuing through December 31 each year:

In St. George Sound, beginning at Royal Bluff, 29°47.601'N, 84°44.977'W; thence southwesterly to St. George Sound Light 8, located at 29°44.566'N, 84°45.766'W; thence along the south boundary of the ICW Channel to St. George Sound Light 21, located at 29°43.362'N, 84°48.478'W; thence northwesterly to a point located at 29°44.952'N, 84°51.112'W; thence easterly along the shoreline of St. George Sound to the point of beginning, including all waters of Yents Bayou within the closure area.

(5) The waters of Franklin County within the following described boundaries are closed to the harvest of shrimp beginning on March 1 and continuing through May 31 each year:

In Apalachicola Bay, beginning at Green Point, 29°42.526'N, 85°02.155'W; thence southwesterly to St. Vincent Point, 29°40.427'N, 85°04.490'W; thence easterly to Two Mile Channel Light 1, located at 29°41.530'N, 85°0.755'W; thence southeasterly to Apalachicola River Entrance Light 2, located at 29°40.167'N, 84°58.127'W; thence northerly along the eastern boundary of the Apalachicola Shipping Channel to the western landfall of the John Gorrie Memorial Bridge (US Highway 98); thence westerly along the shoreline of Apalachicola Bay to the point of beginning.

(6) All waters of Indian Lagoon and St. Vincent Sound in Gulf County are closed to the harvest of shrimp year-round.

(7) All waters of Ochlockonee Bay and the Ochlockonee River and its tributaries in Franklin and Wakulla Counties west of the US Highway 98 Bridge across the bay and all waters of Chaires Creek south of its mouth on Ochlockonee Bay in Franklin County are closed to the harvest of shrimp year-round.

(8) All waters of Apalachee Bay and all tributaries, bays, or bayous in Wakulla County landward of the following described line are closed to food shrimp production and live bait shrimp production year-round:

Beginning at the St. Marks Lighthouse, located at 30°04.428'N, 84°10.779'W, proceed southerly on a straight line to flashing St. Marks River Lighted Buoy 1, located at 30°01.515'N, 84°10.580'W; thence westerly to Shell Point Channel Daybeacon 1, located at 30°02.833'N, 84°17.183'W; thence southwesterly to a point located at 30°01.67'N, 84°20.24'W; thence southwesterly to a point located at 29°59.90'N, 84°21.80'W; thence southeasterly to a point at 29°58.60'N, 84°20.23'W, at the Colregs Demarcation Line; thence southerly along the Colregs Demarcation Line to the shoreline at Ochlockonee Point.

(9) No person shall operate as a food shrimp producer in the following area: that portion of Santa Rosa Sound lying in Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties west of the Brooks Bridge (U.S. Highway 98) in Okaloosa County and east of the Bob Sikes Bridge (County Road 399) in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties.

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 7-16-96, Formerly 46-31.018, Amended 3-1-05, 4-13-17, 5-1-22.