Recreational Harvest of Marine Life (Aquarium) Species

NEW Marine Life rule effective Nov. 1, 2012

The FWC has clarified both commercial and recreational regulations for marine life (aquarium) species at the September Commission meeting. 

The changes include:

• Giant anemone prohibited from harvest for three years.
• Sand perch, dwarf sand perch and unicorn filefish removed from marine life rule.
• Angelfish and butterfly fish commercial size limits will be applied to recreational harvest and to all hybrids of these species.
• Sabellarid tubeworms will be considered live rock.
• Snapping shrimp definition will include all members of the Alpheidae family.
• Black corals prohibited from harvest.

Requirements for Recreational Marine Life Harvest

• Recreational saltwater fishing license
• Organisms must be landed and kept alive
• A continuously circulating live well, aeration or oxygenation system of adequate size to maintain these organisms in a healthy condition

• State regulations for marine life apply in federal waters

• Allowable Gear†:
  • Hand collection
  • Hand held net: a landing or dip net. A portion of the bag may be constructed of clear plastic material rather than mesh.
  • Drop net: a small, usually circular net with weights attached along the outer edge and a single float in the center, used by a diver to enclose and concentrate tropical fish.
  • Barrier net (fence net): a seine used beneath the surface of the water by a diver to enclose and concentrate tropical fish. The net may be made of nylon or monofilament.
  • Slurp gun: a self-contained, handheld device that captures tropical fish by rapidly drawing seawater containing such fish into a closed chamber.
  • Use of quinaldine is prohibited.
  • Use of power tools for harvest of octocorals is prohibited
• Bag Limit: 20 organisms per person per day; only 5 of any one species allowed within the 20-organism bag limit unless otherwise noted. See charts below for more details.
• Possession Limit: 2-day possession limit, 40 total organisms, no more than 10 of any one species allowed.
• Allowable substrate: see species specifications in tables.
• Various closed areas exist. See regulations for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, national wildlife refuges and Florida's State Parks before collecting in these areas.
• Sale of recreationally caught marine life organisms is prohibited.

† Some organisms have additional gear limitations.  See charts below for more details.

Additional rules apply to the collection of shells containing live organisms in Lee and Manatee counties.

Regulated Marine Life Species, Size Limits, and Other Restrictions:

Other Marine Life Fish Include*:

• Balloonfish (Diodon holocanthus)
• Basslets (Family Grammatidae)
• Batfish (Family Ogcocephalidae)
• Blackbar Soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)
• Blennies (Families Clinidae and Blenniidae)
• Black Brotula (Stygnobrotula latebricola)
• Key Brotula (Ogilbia cayorum)
• Spotted Burrfish (Chilomycterus atringa)
• Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)
• Cardinalfish (Family Apogonidae)
• Clingfish (Family Gobiesocidae)
• Cornetfish (Family Fistulariidae)
• Damselfish (Family Pomacentridae)
• Moray Eels (Family Muraenidae)
• Snake Eels (Genera Myrichthys and Myrophis of the Family Ophichthidae)
• Frogfish (Family Antennariidae)
• Hawkfish (Family Cirrhitidae)
• High-hat/Jackknife-fish/Spotted Drum/Cubbyu (Genus Equetus of the Family Sciaenidae)
• Porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)
• Sharpnose Puffer (Canthigaster rostrata)
• Reef Croakers (Odontoscion dentex)
• Seahorses and Pipefish (Family Syngnathidae)
• Sleepers (Family Eleotridae)
• Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis)
• Sweepers (Family Pempheridae)
• Toadfish (Family Batrachoididae)
• Trumpetfish (Family Aulostomidae)
• Trunkfish/Cowfish (Family Ostraciidae)

*Unless otherwise noted, combined bag limit of 20 marine life fish and invertebrates per person per day, only 5 of any one species allowed. A 2-day possession limit also applies (40 total organisms, only 10 of any one species).

**Such as groupers, snappers, seabass and amberjacks. Must abide by regulations for these species in Rule 68B-14 F.A.C. .

Other Marine Life Invertebrates Include*:

• Brittlestars (Class Ophiuroidea)
• Decorator (Furcate Spider) Crab (Stenocionops furcatus)
• False Arrow Crab (Metoporhaphis calcarata)
• Green Clinging (Emerald) Crab (Mithraculus sculptus)
• Nimble Spray (Urchin) Crab (Percnon gibbesi)
• Red Mithrax Crab (Mithraculus ruber)
• Red Ridged Clinging Crab (Mithraculus forceps)
• Spotted Porcelain Crab (Porcellana sayana)
• Yellowline Arrow Crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis)
• Fileclams (Genus Lima)
• Upside-down Jellyfish (Genus Cassiopea)
• Nudibranchs/Sea Slugs (Subclass Opisthobranchia)
• Sea Cucumbers (Class Holothuroidea)
• Sea Lilies (Class Crinoidea)
• Cleaner/Peppermint Shrimp (Genera Periclimenesor Lysmata)
• Coral Shrimp (Genus Stenopus)
• Snapping Shrimp (Family Alpheidae)
• Nassarius Snails (Genus Nassarius)
• Starsnails (Lithopoma americanum, Lithopoma tectum, Astralium phoebium)
• Featherduster Worms/Calcareous Tube Worms (Families Sabellidae and Serpulidae).

*Unless otherwise noted, combined bag limit of 20 marine life fish and invertebrates per person per day, only 5 of any one species allowed.   A 2-day possession limit also applies (40 total organisms, only 10 of any one species).

Recreational collection of up to 100 pounds or 2 organisms per person per day (whichever is greater) of unregulated species is permitted with a recreational saltwater fishing license.  To collect greater quantities of unregulated species, a saltwater products license is required.