Each person harvesting or attempting to harvest shrimp in the
Southwest 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 Southwest 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 Southwest 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.
Within the nearshore and inshore Florida Waters of the Southwest Region, a food
shrimp producer may harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp only by or with the
following gear:
(a) No more than two
unconnected roller frame trawls meeting the specifications of subparagraph
68B-31.006(2)(c)
3., F.A.C.
(b) Otter trawls meeting
the specifications of subparagraph
68B-31.006(2)(c)
4., F.A.C., within specified waters of the Southwest Region, as follows:
1. In all inside waters of the Southwest
Region, except as provided in subparagraph 2. for Tampa Bay, a food shrimp
producer may use:
a. No more than one otter
trawl.
b. No more than one try net
meeting the specifications of subparagraph
68B-31.006(2)(c)
5., F.A.C.
2. In all
waters of Tampa Bay, a food shrimp producer may use:
a. No more than two unconnected otter
trawls.
b. 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 sub- subparagraph
2.a.
3. In waters of the
Southwest Region within three nautical miles seaward of the coastline, a food
shrimp producer may use:
a. No more than two
unconnected otter trawls.
b. 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 sub-subparagraph
3.a.
(4) Mesh size requirements.
(a) In the inside waters of the Southwest
Region, a food shrimp producer may not use any trawl that has a mesh size less
than 7/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and less than 3/4 inch bar
measurement in the cod end.
(b) In
any trawl with a rigid TED, the section of netting surrounding the TED may not
have a mesh size smaller than 5/8 inch bar measurement and may not be more than
50 meshes in total length.
(5) Seasonal and Spatial Trawling
Restrictions.
(a) Beginning October 1 and
continuing through May 31 of the following year, a food shrimp producer may not
use any trawl within the following described area of Florida Waters off the
southwest coast of Florida:
Beginning at Point H in the Boca Grande ship channel; thence
easterly to the northernmost extent of Cayo Costa; thence following the
coastline southwesterly, southerly and easterly along the shorelines of and
along the COLREGS Demarcation Lines across the passes between Cayo Costa, North
Captiva Island, Captiva Island, Sanibel Island, Estero Island, Lovers Key, Big
Hickory Island, Little Hickory Island, and Wiggins Island to 26°16.00'N,
81°49.57'W (Point AA); thence due west to Point Z, and following a
continuous line from Point Z through points A, B, C, D, E, F and G; thence
northwesterly to the point of beginning, Point H. Points Z, A, B, C, D, E, F,
G, H, and AA are expressed as follows by latitude and longitude:
|
Point
|
North Latitude
|
West Longitude
|
|
H
|
26°41.78'
|
82°17.91'
|
|
AA
|
26°16.00'
|
81°49.57'
|
|
Z
|
26°16.00'
|
81°58.50'
|
|
A
|
26°17.23'
|
81°55.55'
|
|
B
|
26°22.31'
|
81°59.00'
|
|
C
|
26°20.25'
|
82°04.39'
|
|
D
|
26°22.00'
|
82°10.79'
|
|
E
|
26°26.05'
|
82°15.55'
|
|
F
|
26°34.40'
|
82°18.90'
|
|
G
|
26°38.28'
|
82°16.92'
|
(b)
Beginning October 1 and continuing through May 31 of the following year, a
person may not use any trawl within Florida Waters of the Gulf of Mexico east
of the line established in paragraph 68B-31.0062(4)(a), F.A.C.
Notes
Fla. Admin. Code
Ann. R. 68B-31.0063
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law
Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla.
Const.
Adopted by
Florida
Register Volume 50, Number 173, September 4, 2024 effective
9/19/2024.
