Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) PURPOSE. The purpose of a Scientific
Research SAL is to accommodate the need for the scientific community to conduct
research, monitoring, and hard bottom restoration or mitigation activities that
enhance the greater body of knowledge in support of fisheries management,
resource conservation and enhancement, and public health. If conducting
research, the proposed activity must ensure that study results will be
presented in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for replication, or at a
minimum, offer the opportunity to build systematically on findings. If
conducting monitoring, the proposed activity must ensure that collected data
will be analyzed to detect physical or biological changes over time in marine
organisms, their populations, or communities. If conducting restoration or
mitigation, the proposed activity must ensure that species such as oysters,
corals, sponges, sea fans, sea whips, and other hard bottom marine organisms
are repaired in the event that they are damaged, and the effectiveness of the
restoration or mitigation activity is evaluated by subsequent
monitoring.
(2) ELIGIBILITY. A
Scientific Research SAL may be issued only to the following:
(a) A principal investigator of a proposed or
ongoing scientific research project who is on the faculty or is a student of a
college, community college, university, or secondary school.
(b) A principal investigator of a proposed or
ongoing scientific research project who is affiliated with a marine research
institute, laboratory, corporation, or organization.
(c) A member of the scientific or technical
staff of a marine research institute, laboratory, corporation, or organization
with demonstrated experience conducting successful hard bottom restoration or
mitigation activities.
(d) A member
of the scientific or technical staff of a city, county, state or federal
agency.
(e) A member of the
scientific or technical staff of a certified aquaculture
facility.
(3) FEES AND
APPLICATION.
(a) The processing fee for a
Scientific Research SAL is $25.00. A processing fee is
non-refundable.
(b) An applicant
for a Scientific Research SAL must complete and submit a Scientific Research
SAL application form provided by the Commission (Form DMF-SRSAL
(9/09)).
(4) EVALUATION
CRITERIA. In addition to the evaluation criteria set forth in subsection
68B-8.004(2),
F.A.C., an application for a Scientific Research SAL will be evaluated based on
the following criteria as applicable to the request:
(a) Project specifications and
methodologies.
(b) Monitoring
strategies.
(c) Documented
experience conducting successful hard bottom restoration or mitigation
activities.
(5) REPORTING
REQUIREMENTS. A SAL holder must submit the following:
(a) An activity report detailing all
SAL-related harvest or sampling activities that resulted in the permanent
retention of marine organisms. The activity report is a report other than any
publications or technical, monitoring, or final reports. The activity report
must include common and scientific names of the marine organisms harvested
(both targeted and incidental), numbers and sizes harvested, locations of
harvest by county, and disposition of all marine organisms harvested. The
activity report for a Scientific Research SAL involving prohibited species must
also include the specific harvesting gear used. If mortality of a prohibited
species occurred during harvest or subsequent possession, the report must
indicate the cause of death if known. If SAL-related activities did not result
in the permanent retention or mortality of any marine organism, the SAL holder
must submit a statement to that effect.
(b) A copy of any publications, technical,
monitoring, or final reports that were generated as a result of work conducted
pursuant to the SAL. These reports must include the notation that research was
conducted pursuant to the specific Commission Special Activity
License.
(c) A SAL holder who is
conducting biomedical research activities involving the collection of horseshoe
crabs to remove blood and return the animal to the area of collection alive,
must file his or her annual report pursuant to sub-subparagraph
68B-46.002(3)(b)
3.e., F.A.C.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law
Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla.
Const.
New 7-1-04, Amended
11-19-09.
