Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
Each person harvesting or attempting to harvest shrimp in the
Northwest Region shall comply with the requirements specified in this
rule.
(1) Recreational Harvesters. A
recreational harvester may not harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp in or from
Florida Waters of the Northwest Region by or with the use of gear or methods
not expressly permitted in subsection
68B-31.006(1),
F.A.C.
(2) Live Bait Shrimp
Producers. A live bait shrimp producer may not harvest or attempt to harvest
shrimp in or from Florida Waters of the Northwest Region by or with the use of
gear or methods not expressly permitted in paragraph
68B-31.006(2)(b),
F.A.C.
(3) Food Shrimp Producers.
In or on the nearshore and inshore Florida Waters of the Northwest Region, a
food shrimp producer may harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp only by or with
the use of the following gear or methods:
(a)
No more than two unconnected roller frame trawls meeting the specifications of
subparagraph 68B-31.006(2)(c)
3., F.A.C.
(b) No more than two
unconnected otter trawls meeting the specifications of subparagraph
68B-31.006(2)(c)
4., F.A.C.
(c) No more than one try
net meeting the specifications of subparagraph
68B-31.006(2)(c)
5., F.A.C. Such try net shall be considered one of the two unconnected otter
trawls allowed for food shrimp production pursuant to paragraph (b).
(d) No more than two unconnected skimmer
trawls meeting the following specifications:
1. The perimeter around the leading edge of
any skimmer trawl may not exceed 56 feet.
2. No such skimmer trawl shall be larger in
mesh area than specified by paragraph
68B-31.006(2)(a),
F.A.C.
3. Each skimmer trawl must
have a TED installed meeting the requirements of subsection
68B-31.006(3),
F.A.C.
4. A person may not use any
skimmer trawl, or possess any skimmer trawl that is rigged for fishing, if such
trawl does not have a bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed meeting the
requirements of subsection
68B-31.006(4),
F.A.C.
(e) Mesh size
requirements.
1. In the inside waters of the
Northwest Region, a food shrimp producer may not use any trawl that has a mesh
size less than 3/4 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and less than
5/8 inch bar measurement in the cod end.
2. In any trawl with a rigid TED, the section
of netting surrounding the TED may not have a mesh size smaller than 1/2 inch
bar measurement and may not be more than 50 meshes in total length.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law
Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla.
Const.
