68B-41.003. Regional Recreational Size Limits; Commercial Size Limits; Landed in Whole Conditional Requirement and Exception  


Effective on Tuesday, September 13, 2016
  • 1(1) Recreational Size Limit in the Atlantic Ocean – A recreational harvester may not harvest or land from the Atlantic Ocean or possess in or on the Atlantic Ocean a dolphin that is less than 20 inches in fork length.

    41(2) Commercial Size Limit in Florida Waters – A commercial harvester may not harvest or land from Florida Waters or possess in or on Florida Waters a dolphin that is less than 20 inches in fork length.

    78(3) Landed in Whole Condition Requirement – Except as provided elsewhere in this rule, 92a person harvesting 95dolphin 96shall land each 99dolphin 100in whole condition. A person may not possess in or on Florida Waters a 114dolphin 115that has been beheaded, sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled, or deboned. This provision will not be construed to prohibit evisceration (gutting) of a 139dolphin, 140or removal of gills from a 146dolphin147.

    148(a) Landed in Whole Condition Exception – Recreational anglers that lawfully harvest dolphin in waters of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas are exempt from the requirement to land dolphin in whole condition under the following conditions:

    1841. Skin must remain intact on the entire fillet of any dolphin carcass.

    1972. A person or vessel that lawfully harvests dolphin in Bahamian waters and transits through Florida waters must comply with the bag and possession limits specified in 22450 C.F.R. §622.277 227(as of January 27, 2016). Two fillets of dolphin, regardless of the length of each fillet, is equivalent to one fish.

    2483. Valid Bahamian fishing and cruising permits are on board the vessel.

    2604. Each person on the vessel has a valid government passport with current stamps and dates from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

    2825. The vessel is in transit through state waters with fishing gear appropriately stowed. For the purpose of this rule, a vessel is in transit when it is on a direct and continuous course through state waters and no one aboard the vessel fishes in state waters. For the purpose of this rule, fishing gear appropriately stowed means that terminal gear (i.e., hook, leader, sinker, flasher, or bait) used with an automatic reel, bandit gear, buoy gear, handline, or rod and reel must be disconnected and stowed separately from such fishing gear. Sinkers must be disconnected from the down rigger and stowed separately.

    385Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 1-1-91, Formerly 46-41.003, Amended 1-3-05, 9-1-13, 9-13-16.