Rule History: S-Z

SANIBEL SHELLS, CH 46-26, FAC (see SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS)

SARASOTA COUNTY SPECIAL ACTS, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective Aug. 15, 1994)

Deletes language that previously repealed a population law regarding net fishing in Sarasota County.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, FAC (Effective April 1, 1989)

Establishes a April 1 - March 31 for commercial harvest season for sardines in the Tampa Bay area and provides for early season closure when harvest is projected to reach 4.1 million pounds prior to the end of the established season. If the season closes, a vessel limit of 500 pounds per day will apply in the region until the following April 1. The rule also prohibits the commercial harvest of sardines in Tampa Bay proper and within 500 yards of the beaches off Pinellas and Manatee counties.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1991)

Supersedes provisions of above rule (except commercial closure in Tampa Bay) and sets 500-pound daily vessel and landing limit for commercial harvesters in waters off Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties.

SARDINES, CH 46-29, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1995)

Allows persons in the West Central Florida region (state waters of Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Manatee counties) to possess more than 500 pounds of frozen or partially frozen processed packaged sardines for use as bait or the transiting of state waters with such bait to fish in federal waters adjacent to the region.

SARDINES, CH 68B-29, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SHAD AND RIVER HERRING, CH 46-52, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1997)

Repeals previous shad statutes and instead:

• Establishes an aggregate daily bag and possession limit for American shad, Alabama shad, and hickory shad of 10 per person
• Allows only hook-and-line gear to be used to harvest any shad or river (blueback) herring - such fish harvested by any other gear must be returned to the water free, alive, and unharmed (the temporary possession while releasing the fish is allowed.)

SHAD AND RIVER HERRING, CH 68B-52, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, FAC (Effective April 8, 1992)

• Establishes a daily bag limit of one shark per person and a maximum possession limit of two sharks harvested from state waters aboard a vessel for both recreational and commercial fishermen
• Requires that commercial shark fishermen have a federal permit to fish in state waters, beginning July 1, 1992
• Establishes harvest season for sharks as July 1 - June 30 each year
• Prohibits all commercial harvest of sharks in state waters whenever federal waters close to the harvest of large coastal sharks (the sale of sharks and shark fins harvested from state waters is prohibited beginning 31 days after any state waters closure)
• Prohibits "finning" (removing shark fins and returning the remainder of the carcass to the sea); however, fins may be removed from the shark while at sea, provided that the number of unattached fins in possession are in a proportion of at least one shark carcass for every five fins landed
• Requires that sharks be released in a manner that will ensure maximum probability of survival
• Prohibits sharks caught by recreational fishermen from being transferred at sea and prohibits all sale of sharks caught by recreational fishermen
• Prohibits all harvest, landing, and sale of sawsharks, sawfish, basking sharks, whale sharks, and spotted eagle rays in state waters, and declares these animals as "protected species"

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, FAC (Effective Feb. 14, 1994)

• Prohibits the removal of any shark fin from a shark harvested in state waters prior to landing
• Prohibits persons returning from federal waters, with sharks or shark fins harvested in such waters, from fishing in state waters
• Conforms commercial season closure provisions with federal rules, and prohibits the sale of sharks whenever adjacent federal waters are closed to commercial shark fishing

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 46-44, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1998)

• Declares sand tiger sharks, bigeye sand tiger sharks, white sharks, and manta rays as protected species and prohibits the harvest of these species; in addition, sawsharks are removed from this designation
• Closes state waters to the commercial harvest and sale of small or large coastal sharks when adjacent federal waters close to this fishery
• Prohibits filleting sharks at sea (the evisceration and removal of heads and tails of sharks on vessels is not prohibited)

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Prohibits all harvest, possession and sale of spiny dogfish
• Eliminates the six-month shark closure periods
• Closes state waters automatically to only shark species that are affected by a federal closure

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective March 9, 2006)

Renamed the "protected species" list the "prohibited species" list, and added Atlantic angel shark, bigeye sixgill shark, bigeye thresher shark, bignose shark, Caribbean reef shark, dusky shark, Galapagos shark, longfin mako shark, narrowtooth shark, night shark, sevengill shark, sixgill shark, and smalltail shark to the list.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective Oct. 15, 2007)

Updates references to federal shark fishing regulations.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective Jan. 19, 2010)

• Prohibits harvest of sandbar, silky and Caribbean sharpnose sharks from state waters
• Establishes a 54-inch fork length minimum size limit for all sharks except Atlantic sharpnose, blacknose, bonnethead, finetooth and blacktip sharks and smooth dogfish
• Prohibits the removal of shark heads and tails at sea
• Allows only hook and line gear to harvest sharks
• Makes other administrative and technical rule changes

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective March 21, 2010)

Prohibits all harvest of lemon sharks from Florida waters.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 2012)

Prohibits all harvest of great, scalloped, and smooth hammerhead sharks, and tiger sharks from state waters.

SHARKS AND RAYS, CH 68B-44, F.A.C. (Effective July 1, 2019)

• Creates a mandatory, no-cost, annual shore-based shark fishing permit for all anglers ages 16+
• Prohibits chumming when fishing for any species from the beach
• Prohibits delaying the release of prohibited shark species when fishing from the shore
• Requires that prohibited shark species remain in the water (when fishing from shore and from a vessel)
• Requires the use of non-offset, non-stainless-steel circle hooks with live or dead natural bait (when fishing from shore and from a vessel)
• Requires the possession/use of a device capable of quickly cutting the leader or hook (when fishing from shore or a vessel)

SHEEPSHEAD, CH 68B-59, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Sheepshead removed from Flounder and Sheepshead Chapter 68B-48 and placed into a new chapter of its own.

SHEEPSHEAD, CH 68B-59, FAC (Effective July 1, 2018)

• Reduces the recreational bag limit from 15 to 8 fish per person
• Creates a recreational vessel limit of 50 fish per vessel, per trip during March and April
• Extends FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations into federal waters

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST FLORIDA LIVE BAIT FISHERY, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Dec. 11, 1986)

Allows licensed live bait shrimp producers harvesting live bait shrimp in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay counties inland waters to use a single trawl with an opening no greater than 60 feet along its perimeter, and the net mesh must be attached under certain specifications. No devices may be used to precede or enlarge the opening of the trawl, and no other type gear is allowed.

SHRIMP - TOW TIMES AND USE OF TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER89-1, FAC (Effective Jan. 24, 1989)

Requires persons operating trawls in state waters north of the Brevard-Volusia county line and east of the Colregs Demarcation Line to reduce trawl tow times to a maximum of 75 minutes through Jan. 31, 1989. Beginning Feb. 1, 1989, turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in the trawls will be required for the remainder of the 90-day term of the emergency rule. The TEDs to be used must be of a type approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES - Emergency Rule, 46ER89-3, FAC (Effective Aug. 9, 1989- Nov. 7, 1989)

Requires the use of a qualified TED in any trawl vessel 25 feet or greater in length in any offshore waters, and prohibits possession of a trawl rigged for fishing that does not have a qualified TED aboard any vessel 25 feet or greater in length in offshore waters. Any person operating a fishing trawl from a vessel less than 25 feet in length in offshore waters will not be required to use a TED as long as each tow time is limited to 90 minutes.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Nov. 8, 1989 until permanent rule becomes effective)

Renews above emergency rule.

SHRIMP - TURTLE EXCLUDER DEVICES, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective June 11, 1990)

Prohibits persons from operating or fishing in any state waters any trawl that is not equipped with a qualified TED, and prohibits possession by any person aboard any vessel in or on state waters of any trawl rigged for fishing that is not equipped with a qualified TED. The altering of any TED in order to render it nonfunctioning is also prohibited. This rule does not apply to:

• A single test net having a headrope length of 20 feet or less if it is pulled immediately in front of any other net or trawl or is not connected to another net or trawl in any way
• A roller frame trawl with a rectangular rigid frame to keep the mouth of the trawl open while being towed, rollers on the lower horizontal beam of the frame to allow the trawl to roll over the bottom and any obstructions while being towed, a grid of vertical bars spaced no more than 3 inches apart shielding the trawl opening, and no doors attached to keep the mouth of the trawl open (in addition, the trawl must be towed by attaching a line or towing cable to a tongue located above or at the center of the upper beam of the frame)
• Trawls used as part of experiments sanctioned by the National Marine Fisheries Service
• Any trawl operated, fished, or on a vessel and rigged for fishing with a headrope length not greater than 35 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 100 feet, while in the inside waters of the state (defined as all waters landward of the Colregs Demarcation Line)

SHRIMP, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1992)

• Sets a recreational daily bag limit of 5 gallons of shrimp, heads on, per person or vessel, whichever is less, and requires recreationally harvested shrimp to be landed in a whole condition (heads on)
• Allows recreational fishermen to use only landing or dip nets with an opening no larger than 96 inches around the perimeter, cast nets, push nets, one frame net with an opening no larger than 16 feet around the perimeter, legal shrimp traps, beach or haul seines no greater than 100 feet in length, and an otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 16 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 48 feet
• Allows recreational fishermen to use a cast net in conjunction with non-metal poles to bait shrimp under certain conditions
• Allows harvesters of live bait shrimp to only use a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beams greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no more than 3 inches apart, no more than two such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time, and a minimum net mesh size of 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net body and ½ inch bar measurement in the net bag (live bait shrimp harvesters in state waters of Brevard through Nassau counties including all areas of the St. Johns River where current law permits are also allowed to use a legal otter trawl; live bait shrimp harvesters in Volusia County are allowed to use legal wing nets)
• Requires harvesters and dealers of live bait shrimp to use live wells of certain specifications on board vessels and during land transport and storage
• Prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from operating as a food shrimp producer or recreational harvester on the same trip, requires shrimp harvested as bait to be sold as bait, prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from transferring such shrimp to another vessel in state waters, and prohibits harvesters of live bait shrimp from possessing more than 5 gallons of heads on dead shrimp aboard vessels at any time
• Prohibits food shrimp producers statewide from possessing more than 47 heads on/70 heads off shrimp per pound (except seabobs), from using a brine box to separate shrimp from bycatch, and from operating as a live bait shrimp producer or a recreational harvester on the same trip - persons harvesting shrimp in state waters may use a single try net with a headrope length not greater than 10 feet in inshore waters and 20 feet in offshore waters and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 30 feet in inshore waters and 60 feet in offshore waters if such net is pulled immediately in front of another trawl or trawls or is not in any way connected to another trawl (such net shall also have a legal mesh size)

Allows food shrimp producers to only use the following gear:

• Escambia through Franklin counties (inshore waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; a single otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 50 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 150 feet, or two otter trawls, each with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge not greater than 75 feet (two legal trawls may be connected and each attached to a sled as long as the trawls are continuously separated at least 10 feet apart during trawling); minimum net mesh size - 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid turtle excluder device (TED), the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than ½ inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Wakulla through Pasco counties (all state waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length (beginning January 1, 1994), vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, a mesh size of not less than 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch in the net bag, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time
• Pinellas through Collier counties (inshore waters) - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; except in Tampa Bay, a single otter trawl with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 75 feet, or in Tampa Bay, no more than two otter trawls, each with a headrope length not greater than 25 feet and a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 75 feet (two legal trawls may be connected and each attached to a sled as long as the trawls are continuously separated at least 10 feet apart during trawling; minimum net mesh size - 7/8 inch bar measurement in the net body and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid TED, the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than 5/8 inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Monroe through Indian River counties (inshore waters) - a wing net or frame net with an opening no larger than 28 feet around the perimeter (no more than two wing nets may be attached to or fished from a single vessel), and wing nets and frame nets may not be towed or dragged over the bottom
• Brevard through Nassau counties, including all of the St. Johns River [inshore waters, except as provided for Volusia County in Rule 46-3.008(3)(g)] - a roller frame trawl with neither the upper or lower horizontal beam greater than 16 feet in length, vertical bars shielding the trawl opening spaced no further than 3 inches apart, and no more than four such trawls to be towed by a single vessel at any time; an otter trawl with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 100 feet, no more than one such trawl to be towed by a single vessel; minimum net mesh size - 3/4 inch bar measurement in the net body and 5/8 inch bar measurement in the net bag (in any trawl with a rigid TED, the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than ½ inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length)
• Prohibits food shrimp producers from operating within the Tortugas Shrimp Beds, except as authorized by federal regulations in Exclusive Economic Zone waters

SHRIMP - BIG BEND/NORTHWEST REGIONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER92-1, FAC (Effective March 3, 1992 - June 1, 1992)

Redefines boundary between the Big Bend and Northwest Regions established in the shrimp rule in order to regulate food shrimp production gear.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER92-2, FAC (Effective March 3, 1992 - June 1, 1992)

Allows the use of landing or dip nets, push nets, and cast nets to harvest live bait shrimp in the inside waters of Volusia County.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective July 1, 1992)

Makes above rule permanent.

SHRIMP - WAKULLA COUNTY, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective March 16, 1993)

Redefines the boundary between the Big Bend and Northwest Regions established in the shrimp rule as a line drawn between the St. Marks Lighthouse due south to Channel Marker #24 in order to manage food shrimp production gear (the use of legal turtle excluder devices is still required at all times in the affected area of the expanded Northwest Region).

SHRIMP - BIG BEND REGION, CH 46-3 and 46-31, FAC (Effective Nov. 29, 1993)

Repeals the food shrimp count law for the Big Bend Region, and instead prohibits all shrimping in approximately 500,000 acres of inshore waters in the region from the St. Mark's Channel to Bailey's Bluff in shallow water characterized by dense and patchy seagrass bottom habitat. The rule also prohibits food shrimping in all state waters of the region in July and August each year.

SHRIMP - VOLUSIA COUNTY, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective Oct. 3, 1994)

Limits the size of wing nets used to harvest live bait shrimp in Volusia County to a 26-foot maximum perimeter.

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST REGION, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Oct. 3, 1994)

• Prohibits any person harvesting shrimp as a live bait shrimp producer from possessing aboard a vessel more than one gallon of heads on dead shrimp in the inshore waters of Nassau and Duval counties
• Prohibits shrimp harvested as live bait in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler counties from being sold as anything other than live bait
• Requires shrimp harvested as live bait in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler counties to be constantly maintained in wet live storage containers of certain specifications aboard vessels and vehicles, and during storage, in order to minimize mortality
• Prohibits all harvest of shrimp from the inshore waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, and Clay counties during April and May each year
• Prohibits all harvest of shrimp in any tributary of the St. Mary's River, Bells River, Jolly River, Amelia River, Jackson Creek, Nassau River, Back River, South Amelia River, Lanceford Creek, North Fork of Alligator Creek, and a certain eastern portion of Tiger Basin and Tiger Creek - in Nassau and Duval counties (shrimp harvest is allowed in each of the above listed water bodies proper)
• Decreases the number of holidays when commercial shrimp harvest is prohibited to nine major state holidays
• Amends language that defines the term "frame net" to clarify that this gear may be fished behind or alongside a vessel not under power

SHRIMP - TORTUGAS SHRIMP BEDS, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective March 1, 1995)

Establishes that possession aboard a vessel within state waters of the Tortugas Shrimp Beds of more than 5 gallons of heads-on dead shrimp at the same time any shrimp trawl is deployed shall constitute prima facie evidence that such shrimp were taken within the Beds as an illegal food shrimp activity.

SHRIMP - FLORIDA EAST COAST SHRIMP BED, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective April 18, 1995)

Allows the harvest of food shrimp during April and May in a narrow area adjacent to federal waters outside the mouth of the St. Johns River.

SHRIMP - TRAWL SPECIFICATIONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER95-1, FAC (Effective July 3 – Sept. 30, 1995)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl in inshore and nearshore state waters that contains more than 500 square feet of mesh area
• Prohibits the use of any otter trawl that has a perimeter around its mouth greater than 66 feet
• Prohibits the use of more than two unconnected otter trawls, including any try net

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SHRIMPING, CH 46ER95-2, FAC (Effective Oct. 12 - 31, 1995)

Suspends minimum count (size) regulations on white shrimp harvested from Apalachicola Bay.

SHRIMP, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1996)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl in inshore and nearshore state waters with more than 500 square feet of mesh area
• Allows the use of otter trawls with a perimeter around the opening no greater than 66 feet in all areas of the state where otter trawls are allowed in inshore and nearshore waters
• Prohibits the use of more than two unconnected trawls, including any try net, in inshore and nearshore state waters
• Allows the use of a sled in lieu of the inner doors between two otter trawls (with a spread of at least 10 feet between the trawls) where the use of otter trawls is allowed in inshore and nearshore state waters
• Allows the use of trawls for the directed harvest of shrimp only
• Prohibits the use of otter trawls by recreational fishermen

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-1, FAC (Effective March 12 - June 10, 1996)

Suspends a rectangular area closure to shrimp harvesting in Apalachicola Bay south of the John Gorrie Bridge.

SHRIMP - RECREATIONAL FRAME NETS, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective June 3, 1996)

• Allows recreational fishermen statewide to harvest shrimp with frame nets if such gear is deployed from a vessel, or from a structure other than an operational bridge or causeway, or from a catwalk attached to such bridge or causeway (these frame nets are not allowed to be fished or dragged along the bottom)
• Reaffirms that frame nets used by commercial food shrimp producers in the Southeast Region be deployed only from vessels

SHRIMP - NORTHEAST REGION, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective June 3, 1996)

These rules - in all state waters of the Northeast Region (Nassau through Brevard counties, including all waters of the St. Johns River):

• Require a legal, functioning bycatch reduction device (BRD) to be installed and used in all otter trawls rigged for fishing and used by all food and live bait shrimp producers - BRD's that meet the legal specifications of this proposed rule include the Florida Finfish Excluder and the large mesh Extended Funnel BRD
• Prohibit the rigging or altering of BRD's installed in trawls in a manner that would render the BRD nonfunctioning or ineffective
• Increase the minimum mesh sizes allowed to be used in trawls by food shrimp producers to 7/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the cod (tail) end
• Eliminate the shrimp count (size limit) regulation in the region, effective July 1, 1996

SHRIMP - BAY AND OKALOOSA COUNTIES - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER96-2, FAC (Effective July 1 – Sept. 28, 1996)

Repeals an obsolete special act that established certain season and area closures for shrimp harvest in specified waters of Bay and Okaloosa counties.

SHRIMP - FRANKLIN/WAKULLA/GULF COUNTIES, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective July 15, 1996)

Eliminates the shrimp count (size limit) regulation in state waters from the Apalachicola Bay system to the Northwest/Big Bend Region demarcation line and instead establishes the following area/season closures to all harvest of shrimp:

• Retention of the present year-round closed area north of the John Gorrie Bridge in Apalachicola Bay
• Closure of areas in St. Vincent Sound known as Big Bayou, Sheepshead Bayou, and Indian Lagoon year-round
• Retention of the presently enforced daytime area closure from July 15 through September 15 in St. Vincent Sound and Apalachicola Bay
• Closure of a specified area in St. George Sound south of Green Point from September 15 through December 31
• Closure of a specified area between the shipping channel and the mouth of St. Vincent Sound in Apalachicola Bay from March 1 through May 31
• Closure of the Carrabelle River year-round

The rule also closes specified nearshore and inshore waters in Wakulla County year-round to all harvest of shrimp (except recreational).

SHRIMP - BAY/OKALOOSA/WALTON COUNTIES, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Sept. 30, 1996)

Repeals an obsolete special act that establishes certain season and area closures for shrimp harvest in specified waters of Bay, Okaloosa, and Washington counties.

SHRIMP - BYCATCH REDUCTION DEVICES, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Aug. 17, 1998)

• Requires a legal, functioning bycatch reduction device (BRD) to be installed and used in all otter trawls rigged for fishing by food and live bait shrimp producers in all state waters
• Prohibits the rigging or altering of BRDs installed in trawls in a manner that would render the BRD nonfunctioning or ineffective
• Provides a process of expedited rulemaking (as provided in the Administrative Procedure Act) to be employed to allow the use of new BRDs that are approved and certified for use by the National Marine Fisheries Service

SHRIMP - SUSPENSION OF MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT IN DADE COUNTY - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER99-1, FAC (Effective Jan. 26, 1999 - April 26, 1999)

Suspends the food shrimp minimum size limit (47/70 count law) in state waters of Dade County.

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SKIMMER TRAWLS, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective June 1, 1999)

Allows the use of no more than two unconnected skimmer trawls (with no more than 500 square feet of mesh area per trawl and a perimeter around the leading edge of the trawl no greater than 56 feet) per vessel to harvest shrimp in waters of Apalachicola Bay in a specified area south of the Gorrie Bridge until July 1, 2001.

SHRIMP - SOUTHEAST SHRIMP AND STATEWIDE RESTRICTED SPECIES DESIGNATION, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective Dec. 2, 1999)

• Eliminates the count law (minimum size limit) for food shrimp harvested in Dade County
• Establishes an Oct. 15 - May 15 allowable harvesting season for food shrimp in Biscayne Bay (with a 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday closed period to food shrimp harvest each week during this open season)
• Prohibits the use of frame nets by recreational fishermen to harvest shrimp in Dade County
• Designates shrimp as a "restricted species" statewide, effective Jan. 1, 2001

SHRIMP - SOUTHEAST SHRIMP, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective Dec. 21, 2000)

Changes the Oct. 15 - May 15 Biscayne Bay food shrimp production season to Nov. 1 - May 31.

SHRIMP - APALACHICOLA BAY SKIMMER TRAWLS, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective July, 2001)

Deletes the scheduled July 1, 2001 expiration of a rule which allows food shrimp producers to use skimmer trawls in specified waters of Apalachicola Bay.

SHRIMP - LIVE BAIT SHRIMP, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective Feb. 28, 2002)

Requires persons who sell live bait shrimp to equip their facilities with watertight tanks with at least 32 cubic feet of continuously aerated saline water to store the shrimp (instead of 64 cubic feet previously required in most of Florida).

SHRIMP - BIG BEND REGION, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective July 9, 2002)

Increases the allowable shrimp harvest areas in Dixie County waters by 5,900 acres.

SHRIMP - NORTHWEST REGION, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 2003)

Allows the use of skimmer trawls to harvest food shrimp commercially in the Northwest Region.

SHRIMP, CH 68B-31, FAC (Effective Jan. 19, 2010)

• Allows the use of bycatch reduction devices for shrimp trawls in Florida waters that have been certified for use in adjacent federal waters
• Automatically allows future federally approved bycatch reduction devices to be used in state waters
• Continues to allow use of the Florida finfish excluder (fisheye) in inshore and nearshore state waters
• Removes the definition of the extended funnel bycatch reduction device
• Makes technical updates to rules requiring the use of turtle excluder devices in shrimp trawls

SHRIMP, 68B-31.0156, FAC (Effective Dec. 5, 2017)

Modifies the boundaries of the area off northeast Florida that is open to the commercial harvest of food shrimp during April and May

SHRIMP, CH 46-31, FAC (Effective Nov. 12, 2018)

• Clarifies that live food shrimp are not subject to icing requirements
• Establishes transit requirements for live food shrimp (vessel and vehicle live well requirements)

SHRIMP, 68B-31, FAC (Effective Dec. 15, 2019)

• Made the Food Shrimp Production license fully transferable
• Allows harvest of food shrimp from inland waters of Northeast Florida on Mondays (when not a state holiday) and the Friday after Thanksgiving

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1989)

• Prohibits the use of any trawl (except a trawl used for live bait shrimping) from Oct. 1-May 31 each year in certain state waters off the southwest coast of Florida
• Establishes five zones to regulate shrimp trawling and stone crabbing in the state waters of Citrus and Hernando counties

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1991)

Prohibits the use of any trawl gear in an area offshore of Taylor County from the line of mean high water out to certain offshore navigational sea buoys (an exception is provided for live bait shrimpers using no more than two smaller roller frame trawls).

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, FAC (Effective Feb. 24, 1998)

Changes the Citrus-Hernando shrimp/stone crab zone coordinates to be compatible with the latest technological equipment and charts, amends the H-I line in the area to lie on a latitude, and revises the area's Zone II coordinates to correspond with designated shrimp closed areas.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, FAC (Effective Nov. 16, 1998)

Prohibits the use of trawls to harvest shrimp in state waters from Wiggins Pass (north of Naples) southward to the Tortugas Shrimp Sanctuary from January 1 through May 20.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER99-2, FAC (Effective Jan. 26, 1999 - April 26, 1999)

Extends the existing seasonal closure to shrimp trawling that stretches offshore from Boca Grande Pass to Wiggins Pass an additional 1½ miles southward to join with the northern boundary of a similar closure to the south.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 46-38, FAC (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Extends the existing seasonal closure to shrimp trawling that stretches offshore from Boca Grande Pass to Wiggins Pass an additional 1½ miles to coincide with the northern boundary of a similar closure area from Naples to Key West
• Changes the existing January 1 through May 20 closure to shrimp trawling in state waters from Naples to Key West to instead occur from Oct. 1 through May 31 each year

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS - Emergency Rule, CH 68BER01-1, FAC (Effective May 9, 2001)

Provides latitude and longitude coordinates to coincide with the locations of two removed navigational flashing light markers, numbers 18 and 22, on the Taylor County Shrimp Closure Line.

SHRIMPING AND STONECRABBING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 68B-38, FAC (Effective Aug. 5, 2001)

Makes above rule permanent.

SHRIMPING AND TRAPPING: CLOSED AREAS AND SEASONS, CH 68B-38, FAC (Effective July 1, 2003)

• RReplaces "Stonecrabbing" in rule title to "Trapping"
• Prohibits all trapping in any area off Citrus and Hernando counties currently closed seasonally to stonecrabbing
• Deletes obsolete Loran coordinates in rule

SNAPPER, GROUPER, AND SEA BASS, CH 46-14, FAC (see REEF FISH)

SNOOK, CH 46-21, FAC (Effective July 23, 1985)

• Minimum size limit: 24 inches total length (equivalent to 22 inches fork length)
• Maximum size limit: Possession limit of 1 snook 34 inches or greater per person
• Sale: Prohibited
• Closed seasons: January, February, June, July; also August 1985 and 1986
• Bag limit: Cannot possess more than 2
• Gear restrictions: Hook and line gear only

SNOOK, CH 46-21, FAC (Effective July 9, 1987)

• Extends management to include all fish of genus Centropomus
• Adds month of August to closed season permanently
• Requires that snook be landed in whole condition (heads and tails intact)
• Prohibits use of treble hooks with natural bait while harvesting snook

SNOOK, CH 46-21, FAC (Effective March 1, 1994)

• Expresses the Commission's goal of maintaining the state's snook populations at a level of at least 40% spawning potential ratio
• Changes the January/February closed season for the harvest of snook to occur instead from December 15 through January 31 each year
• Clarifies the definition of total length to indicate that the anterior point of measurement begins at the most forward point of the lower jaw
• Allows snook to be possessed on a vessel with cast nets aboard provided that such nets are secured and stored away

SNOOK, CH 46-21, FAC (Effective Dec. 31, 1998)

• Increases the minimum size limit for snook from 24 to 26 inches total length
• Prohibits the harvest of snook larger than 34 inches total length
• Prohibits the captain and crew on for-hire vessels from retaining the snook 2-fish bag limit

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective July 1, 2000)

Applies Florida's snook management provisions (i.e., prohibition of spearing) to fish harvested from adjacent federal waters.

SNOOK, CH 68A-27, FAC (Effective Feb. 27, 2001)

Removes snook from Florida's "species of special concern" list.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 2002)

• Establishes a daily bag limit of one snook per person in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County
• Prohibits the harvest of snook in May (in addition to the existing closed seasons) in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County
• Prohibits the possession or landing of snook in all state waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Everglades National Park and Monroe County that were harvested in state waters north and east of the Dade-Monroe County Line

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective May 13, 2002)

Allows certified aquaculture facilities with a snook special activities license to culture, transport and sell snook produced as brood stock to private ponds and for aquarium and other exhibition display under certain conditions.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of snook, "total length" means the straight-line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective July 13, 2006)

Increases the snook minimum size limit by one inch from 26 to 27 inches total length.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective July 12, 2007)

• Establishes a statewide daily recreational bag limit of one snook per person
• Establishes a snook slot limit of 28-32 inches total length in Atlantic waters and 28-33 inches total length in Florida's Gulf, Everglades National Park and Monroe County waters
• Adds Dec. 1-14 and February to the snook closed harvest season in the Gulf, Everglades and Monroe County
• Allows anglers to carry more than one cast net aboard a vessel while fishing for snook

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective Sept. 3, 2009)

Clarifies that it is unlawful to buy or sell snook taken within or without the state except as provided in snook special activity license provisions; that no person shall harvest or possess any snook taken within or without the state during closed seasons; that snook possessed on state waters, whether landed within or without state waters, must be in a whole condition; and that anglers may temporarily possess snook only to determine compliance with size requirements.

SNOOK, Executive Order 10-03 (Effective Jan. 16, 2010)

Due to prolonged exposure to cold weather event in winter of 2010 Harvest and possession of snook from state and federal waters was prohibited through Aug. 31, 2010

SNOOK, EO 10-39, Executive Order (Effective Sept. 1, 2010)

 Extended closure of snook fishery statewide until Sept. 16, 2010.

SNOOK, EO 10-45, Executive Order (Effective Sept. 17, 2010)

Prohibited harvest from the Gulf of Mexico, Monroe County, and Everglades National Park during the period beginning on the effective date of this order and continuing through Aug. 31, 2011.

Prohibited harvest in or from state waters or possess snook taken from the Atlantic Ocean, including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, during the period beginning on Dec. 15, 2010, continuing through Aug. 31, 2011, unless the fishery was opened sooner or the closure was extended by subsequent order. 

SNOOK, Executive Order No. 11-16 (Sept. 1, 2011)

Extended the closure for harvest and possession of snook for the Gulf of Mexico, Monroe county and the Everglades National Park until Aug. 31, 2012.

SNOOK, Executive Order No. 12-11 (Sept. 1, 2012)

Extended the closure for harvest and possession of snook for the Gulf of Mexico, Monroe county and the Everglades National Park until August 31, 2013.

SNOOK, CH 68B-21, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SNOOK, EO 18-38 (Effective Aug. 30 – Oct. 12, 2018)

• Temporary modification of regulations for red drum and snook in southwest Florida
• A person must immediately release any Snook (Centropomus spp.) caught in or on the described region during the term of this order and may not possess a Snook in the described region
• A person may temporarily possess a Snook in or on the described region, only for the purpose of photographing, measuring, or weighing (with a hand-held scale) such Snook
• A person who temporarily possesses a Snook pursuant to this paragraph must release such Snook alive and unharmed in the immediate area where it was caught, immediately after it has been photographed, measured, or weighed

SNOOK, EO 18-45 (Effective Sept. 28, 2018 – May 10, 2019)

• Temporary modification of regulations for red drum and snook in southwest Florida
• Adds the inclusions of all waters of Manatee and Hillsborough counties, and Pasco and Pinellas counties to the provisions of EO 18-38
• Extends the expiration date of EO 18-38 to May 10, 2019
• This order supersedes EO 18-38

SNOOK, EO 19-14 (Effective May 11, 2019 – May 31, 2020)

• Temporary modification of regulations for red drum, snook, and spotted seatrout in Southwest Florida
• A person must immediately release any red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout caught in or on the described region during the term of this order and may not possess or land a red drum, a snook, or a spotted seatrout in the described region
• A person may temporarily possess a red drum, snook or a spotted seatrout in or on the described region, only for the purpose of photographing, measuring, or weighing (with a hand­held scale) such red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout
• A person who temporarily possesses a red drum, a snook, or a spotted seatrout pursuant to this paragraph must release such red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout alive and unharmed in the immediate area where it was caught, immediately after it has been photographed, measured, or weighed
• During the term of this order, no Red Drum Catch-Hold-and-Release Tournament Exemption Permits will be issued for activities conducted within the described region
• The provisions of this order apply in and on all Florida waters of the following geographic areas:
• All Florida waters of Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties; and
• All Florida waters of Collier County north of a line extending due east and due west from the south bank at the mouth of Gordon Pass

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - SANIBEL (formerly SANIBEL SHELLS, LEE COUNTY SHELLS), CH 46-26, FAC (Effective Oct. 15, 1987)

Prohibits harvest of more than 2 live shellfish of any species per day within Sanibel and possession of more than 2 such shellfish at any time along the beach in Sanibel.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - LEE COUNTY, CH 46-26, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 1993)

Prohibits the daily harvest and possession of more than 2 live shellfish of any single species per person in Lee County.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - SANIBEL, CH 46-26, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1995)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in the City of Sanibel.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - MANATEE COUNTY, CH 46-26, FAC (Effective July 1, 1996)

Prohibits the daily harvest of more than two live shellfish of any single species per person from Manatee County waters. A live shellfish is defined as any mollusk or echinoderm, excluding oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - FORT MYERS BEACH, CH 68B-26, FAC (Effective Aug. 1, 2000)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in the City of Fort Myers Beach.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS - LEE COUNTY, CH 68B-26, FAC (Effective Feb. 28, 2002)

Prohibits all harvest of live mollusks and echinoderms (except oysters, hard clams, sunray venus clams, bay scallops, and coquinas) in Lee County.

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA SHELLS, CH 68B-26, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Nov. 28, 1985)

• Prohibits use of power roller gill net rigs for harvesting Spanish mackerel off Dade and Palm Beach counties (Broward County is already closed to net fishing)
• Establishes a minimum gill net mesh size of 3½ inches stretched mesh on the east coast of Florida November 15 through March 15, with a 15% by weight tolerance on Spanish mackerel caught in other nets while fishing for different species (minimum mesh size applies only to monofilament portion of net until Oct. 1, 1990, at which time entire net rigging will be included)

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Oct. 30, 1986)

Recreational daily bag limit: 4 per person

Commercial fishing restrictions:

• Open fishing season for vessels greater than 40 feet in length, using power-assisted gill net gear, is Dec. 15 - Oct. 31
• Net fishing prohibited on weekends
• Minimum mesh sizes for gill nets, stretched mesh: East coast - 3½ inches; Southwest coast 3 3/8 inches; Northwest coast - 3 inches

NOTE: After Oct. 1, 1988, 3 5/8 inches will apply to all areas. Minimum mesh sizes apply to monofilament portion of net only until Oct. 1, 1990.

• Season commercial catch limits: East coast - 1,869,000 lbs.; Southwest coast - 1,501,000 lbs.; Northwest coast - 346,000 lbs.

NOTE: These rules include certain bycatch allowances and exclusions.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Dec. 10, 1987)

• Continues same quotas and bag limits above
• Changes fishing season on Gulf coast to July 1 - June 30 each year (fishing season on Atlantic coast remains Nov. 1 - Oct. 31)
• Designates Spanish mackerel as "restricted species"
• The length of vessels, to which the prescribed season for power-assisted gill net gear on the East coast is applicable, is lowered from 40 to 36 documented feet
• Allows weekend commercial net fishing on the Southwest and Northwest coasts after 90% of quota is reached

SPANISH MACKEREL - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER88-1, FAC (Effective April 12, 1988 - July 11, 1988)

Eliminates 4-inch net mesh bycatch exception during season closures for commercial harvesters statewide.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1988)

• Sets season commercial catch limits as follows: East coast - 2.055 million lbs.; Southwest coast - 2.09 million lbs.; Northwest coast - 435,000 lbs.

NOTE: Large scale commercial fishery closes when quota is met or adjacent federal waters close to commercial harvest, whichever comes first.

• Recreational bag limit of 4 fish daily per person applies as a possession limit regardless of where fish is caught
• Sets statewide minimum gill net mesh size at 3½ inches stretched mesh
• Removes all bycatch exceptions except allowance for up to 500 lbs. caught as bycatch of other lawfully harvested species
• Delays opening of East coast large scale fishery to Jan. 15
• Eliminates distinction between large and small boats and replaces it with daily limits of 1,500 lbs. at certain times and conditions
• Requires that Spanish mackerel be landed with heads and tails intact

SPANISH MACKEREL - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER89-2, FAC (Effective May 12, 1989 - June 30, 1989)

Increases the allowed daily vessel limit from 500 to 1,500 pounds until the new season begins July 1, 1989.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Nov. 1, 1989)

Sets season commercial catch limits as follows:

• East Coast: A 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies April 1 – Nov. 30, then unlimited harvest is allowed from Dec. 1 until 2.34 million pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies until 2.6 million pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies through March 31
• Southwest Coast: Unlimited harvest is allowed from July 1 until 1.87 million pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies until 2.2 million pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel and landing limit applies through June 30
• Northwest Coast: Unlimited harvest is allowed from July 1 until 360,000 pounds are harvested, then a 1,500 pound daily vessel limit applies until 400,000 pounds are harvested, then a 500 pound daily vessel limit applies through June 30

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1990)

Sets daily commercial vessel and landing limits annually as follows:

• East Coast: 1,500 pounds from April 1 - November 30, then unlimited harvest is allowed until 50% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 10,000 pounds until 75% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Southwest Coast: Unlimited harvest allowed from April 1 until 85% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Northwest Coast: Unlimited harvested allowed from April 1 until 90% of the quota is projected to be harvested, then 1,500 pounds until the total quota is reached, then 500 pounds until March 31
• Commercial landing limits will be set at 500 pounds daily in any zone whenever federal waters are closed in that zone
• Establishes a more efficient mechanism to allow the MFC to annually adjust commercial harvest limits and recreational bag and possession limits
• Increases the recreational daily bag and off-the-water possession limits from 4 to 5 fish per person, effective January 1, 1991

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Nov. 26, 1992)

Increases the recreational bag limit from five to ten per person daily in state waters and in adjacent federal waters effective Jan. 1, 1993. The rule also changes the management of the commercial quota on the state's east coast by:

• Setting a daily commercial vessel limit of 1,500 pounds from April 1 through Nov. 30 each year
• Allowing unlimited commercial harvest beginning Dec. 1 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and setting daily commercial vessel limits of 1,500 pounds on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 500 pounds on Saturdays and Sundays until 80 percent of the federal quota is reached
• Setting a daily commercial vessel limit of 1,000 pounds until the remainder of the federal quota is reached and then setting a 500 pound daily commercial vessel limit through March 31

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Feb. 16, 1993)

Removes the prohibition of the use of nets on weekends on the state's west coast.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Nov. 29, 1993)

Removes daily vessel limit season segments on the state's Gulf coast, and instead allows unlimited commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel until the federal quota is met in the West Coast Region. A 500-pound daily vessel limit applies the remainder of the season in the West Coast Region. In the East Coast Region, the rule limits all nets in the directed Spanish mackerel fishery to a depth of 120 meshes during the 1,500, 1,000, and 500-pound season segments, and allows the transfer of Spanish mackerel between vessels at sea under the following conditions:

• Must take place outside the Colregs Demarcation line only
• All nets aboard vessels must have a stretched mesh of at least 3½ inches and have a depth of no greater than 120 meshes
• A legal daily vessel limit may be removed from a net and be isolated on board
• All fish exceeding a legal possession limit must remain entangled in meshes of the net until another boat legally licensed to harvest Spanish mackerel is within a specified distance (e.g., 50 yards) and is prepared to receive a daily vessel limit - fish must then be removed from the net and directly transferred or be put in a container for transfer to the vessel

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Feb. 14, 1994)

Deletes provisions regarding annual bag limit and quota adjustments.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Dec. 2, 1996)

For the Atlantic Group Spanish mackerel fishery - changes the unlimited harvest season to begin Nov. 1 each year, raises the weekend daily commercial harvest limit to 1,500 pounds, and establishes a 1,500 pounds daily commercial harvest limit for all days after 75% of the quota has been reached.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1998)

Establishes a daily 500-pound trip limit for the commercial harvest of Spanish mackerel after the close of the 1,500-pound harvest season segment through March 31 each year.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 46-23, FAC (Effective June 1, 1999)

Reestablishes the 12 inches minimum size limit.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, FAC (Effective July 1, 2000)

Raises the recreational daily bag limit to 15 fish per person.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 2001)

Establishes a 3,500-pound daily commercial vessel trip limit on weekdays for Spanish mackerel harvested in Atlantic state waters during the unlimited harvest phase in adjacent Atlantic federal waters.

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, FAC (Effective Aug. 3, 2010)

• Changes the commercial fishing year for Spanish mackerel in Atlantic state waters from April 1 through March 31 to March 1 through the end of February each year
• Changes the start date for the 3,500-pound vessel limit from April 1 to March 1

SPANISH MACKEREL, 68B-23, FAC (Effective Sept. 5, 2019)

• Reduce the state vessel limit will automatically if the federal vessel limit drops to 1,500 lbs. or 500 lbs.
• Maintain different weekday and weekend vessel limits starting Dec. 1
• Keep state waters open with a 500 lbs. vessel limit if federal waters close

SPANISH MACKEREL, CH 68B-23, FAC (Effective Aug. 25, 2021)

• Under limited circumstances that are consistent with those in adjacent federal waters, passengers on for-hire trips in state waters that span more than 24 hours may possess and land double the bag limit

SPEARING (formerly SPEARFISHING), CH 46-20, FAC (Effective June 17, 1985)

Spearfishing prohibited:

• Within 100 yards of all public beaches and commercial or public fishing piers and bridges
• Within 100 feet of jetties (except the last 500 yards of any jetty extending more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline)
• For the taking of ornamental reef fishes
• In all state parks

Bag limits: Same as for all other fishermen

NOTE: During this time, spearfishing was also prohibited in Collier County and in the Upper Keys area of Monroe County, and in fresh water.

SPEARING, CH 46-20, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1998)

• Establishes that "spearing" shall include all forms of spearfishing, bow hunting, and gigging
• Allows the spearing of all saltwater finfish species, except: snook, red drum, spotted seatrout, weakfish, bonefish, tarpon, permit, pompano, African pompano, tripletail, sharks, billfish, marine aquarium species, and all other species for which harvest is prohibited (i.e., jewfish, Nassau grouper, spotted eagle rays, manta rays, and sturgeon)
• Repeals certain obsolete special acts regarding spearfishing

SPEARING, CH 68B-20.004 and 20.003, FAC (Effective Aug. 1, 2014)

• Allow the Executive Director or his designee to issue permits to events for the use of spearing gears (in areas where spearfishing is otherwise prohibited by FWC rules) to remove lionfish or other nonnative invasive species

SPECIAL ACTIVITY LICENSES, CH 68-B, FAC (Effective July 1, 2004)

Modifies and expands rules regarding special activity licenses.

SPECIAL ACTIVITY LICENSES, CH 68-B, FAC (Effective Nov. 19, 2009)

Further modifies and expands rules regarding special activity licenses.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective July 2, 1987)

• Prohibits the harvest of any lobster with a carapace measurement of 3 inches or less or a tail measurement of 5½ inches if the tail is separated from the body
• Establishes a daily bag limit for recreational fishermen during the regular season of 6 per person or 24 per boat, whichever is greater (no off the water possession limit)
• Establishes a daily bag limit of 6 per person and a 2-day possession limit of 12 during the special two-day sport season
• Sets the special 2-day sport season to occur on the last full weekend prior to Aug. 1 each year, and the regular season for lobster harvesting to occur August 6 through March 31 each year, beginning in 1988
• Allows traps to be soaked Aug. 1-5 each year, beginning in 1988
• Requires all traps to be removed from the water by April 5 each year, unless granted a special 5 or 10-day extension by the Department of Natural Resources
• Prohibits the transportation and use of undersized lobsters as attractants Aug. 1, 1990
• Allows the use of no more than 50 undersized lobsters per boat or one per trap, whichever is greater, to be used as an attractant until April 1, 1990, provided they be kept alive in a shaded, continuously circulating live well with pump capacity to totally replace the water at least every 8 minutes and large enough to provide at least 3/4 gallon of sea water per lobster, and that these lobsters be released alive to the water daily
• Requires all lobsters to remain in a whole condition while on or below state waters ("wringing" prohibited)
• Requires persons who exceed bag limits to possess a crawfish license or trap number and a saltwater products license
• Allows the use of wood slat traps no larger in dimension than 3 X 2 X 2 feet or the volume equivalent, reinforced with wire mesh no heavier than 9 gauge (only to vertical surfaces)
• Allows the use of plastic traps (same dimensions as above, with a wood slat top panel) until April 1, 1990, and in the interim, DNR is requested to study the impact on the use of plastic traps on the environment
• Limits the number of traps fished to 2,000 per person or boat
• Requires trap buoys and markers of certain specifications
• Allows traps to be worked during daylight hours only
• Prohibits traps to be used within 100 feet of the intracoastal waterway or any bridge or sea wall
• Requires commercial divers to permanently display on the boat a "divers-down flag" and identification number on a placard no smaller than 16 inches by 20 inches
• Prohibits the use of any device that could puncture, penetrate, or crush lobsters
• Prohibits divers from exceeding the daily bag limit while fishing at night
• Requires all divers harvesting lobster to possess, while in the water, a lobster carapace measuring device, and each measurement shall occur in the water
• Prohibits the harvest or possession of egg-bearing spiny lobster or slipper lobster
• Prohibits the directed harvest of spiny lobster with nets or trawls (a 5% bycatch exception is allowed)
• Repeals Chapter 29299, Laws of Florida (a Monroe County Special Act governing traps used in the waters of that county)

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective July 2, 1990)

• Prohibits use of undersize lobsters as attractants and requires use of escape gaps in traps effective Aug. 1, 1993, unless an effort reduction program for spiny lobster is adopted by the Legislature and implemented by the Commission prior to this date
• Prohibits use of traps treated (dipped) in oil products effective Aug. 1, 1993
• Prohibits use of plastic traps effective April 1, 1993, while requiring use of untreated wood panels in these traps until that time
• Requires all traps to have a rectangular escape gap 2 1/8 inches wide and 20 inches long near the trap bottom at the narrowest end opposite the buoy line, beginning Aug. 1, 1993
• Allows commercial fishermen to harvest lobster by diving, with a bully net or hoop net, or by the use of legal traps
• Designates spiny lobster as a "restricted species" effective Aug. 1, 1993
• Provides exemptions for certain aquaculture operations to allow the out-of-state shipment of legal size, live spiny lobster cultured by such operations during the closed season

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective March 1, 1992)

• Sets the maximum number of spiny lobster traps allowed each season at 10% fewer than were allowed the previous season, beginning Aug. 6, 1993
• Provides that landward of the Territorial Sea Line, no more than 15 feet of any buoy line attached to a buoy used to mark a spiny lobster trap or trotline shall float on the surface of the water

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective July 1, 1992)

• Extends the phase out of plastic traps to 1995
• Eliminates the use of nonconforming traps pursuant to special activity permit issued by the Department of Natural Resources
• Establishes the following rules for the special two-day season for spiny lobster: change the season to occur the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July each year; during this two-day period, harvest methods will be limited to diving and to the use of bully nets or hoop nets; in addition, more stringent rules will apply in Monroe County than elsewhere in the state during this two-day period - In Monroe County only: no more than 6 lobsters may be harvested or possessed per person on the first day; on the second day, no more than 6 lobsters may be harvested or possessed on the water and no more than 12 lobsters may be possessed per person on shore; in addition, night diving will be prohibited; In all other areas of Florida: no more than 12 lobsters may be harvested or possessed per person on the first day; on the second day, no more than 12 lobsters may be harvested or possessed on the water and no more than 24 lobsters may be possessed per person on shore

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective June 1, 1994)

• Provides additional language to reiterate to the public that the use of bleach to aid in the taking of lobster is strictly prohibited
• Establishes a daily bag limit of 50 spiny lobsters per vessel for special recreational crawfish license holders (or per person for such license holders who are not harvesting lobsters from a vessel) - beginning in August 1994
• Deletes a provision to prohibit the use of plastic traps in the lobster fishery beginning in 1995
• Designates spiny lobster as a "restricted species", effective Aug. 1, 1994

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective Oct. 4, 1995)

• Establishes a minimum throat size of 3 ½" X 6" for lobster traps, using the inside dimensions of the narrowest point of the funnel
• Requires lobster trap throats to be located on the top of the trap
• Requires degradable panels in all non-wooden lobster traps
• Defines degradable panels for lobster traps as a wooden lid located on the top of the trap

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective June 3, 1996)

Suspends the 10 percent annual reduction of spiny lobster traps for the 1996/97 fishing season.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective Sept. 30, 1996)

Requires the color and trap number of marking buoys to be permanently and conspicuously displayed on vessels so that they are:

• Readily identifiable from the air, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches high
• Readily identifiable from the water, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches high

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective Jan. 30, 1997)

Establishes an alternating spiny lobster trap reduction schedule as follows: a zero percent reduction for the 1997-98 season, a ten percent reduction for 1998-99, a zero percent reduction for 1999-2000, and a ten percent reduction for 2000-01.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 46-24, FAC (Effective June 1, 1999)

Eliminates all references to recreational traps in the spiny lobster rule.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 1, 2000)

Delays the 10-percent reduction in spiny lobster trap certificates for one year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 1, 2001)

• Reduces the number of lobster traps in Florida waters by 4 percent annually until the total number of traps is down to 400,000
• Reductions occur first during trap certificate transfers and penalty actions
• Further reductions take place only if the initial process fails to reach the 4 percent annual target, and then are applied to all lobster fishers on a pro rata basis
• Deletes the 10-percent lobster trap reduction scheduled to occur in 2001

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective June 2, 2002)

Allows importation of spiny lobster tails into Florida during the closed season under certain conditions.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 9, 2002)

• Allows commercial lobster fishermen to possess 50 undersized lobsters (shorts) and one per trap on board their vessels to attract legal-sized lobsters into traps, provided the vessels meet existing live well requirements for shorts
• Requires that the maximum distance between wooden slats on wire-reinforced wooden slat lobster traps be no more than 2¼ inches, and that the slats have a minimum width of 1¼ inches, beginning in August 2003
• Clarifies that when one or more persons possessing the special recreational crawfish license are aboard a vessel, the vessel bag limit is 50 lobsters, regardless of the number of licensed persons aboard
• Formalizes policy regarding administrative penalties for untagged lobster traps

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 2, 2003)

• Eliminates the 24-lobster vessel limit from the regular season recreational bag limit (only the six-lobster per person daily limit applies)
• Reduces the bag limit during the two-day sport lobster season in Biscayne National Park from 12 to six lobsters per person per day
• Phases out the higher recreational bag limit for persons holding the Special Recreational Crawfish License by the 2012-13 season
• Establishes a commercial dive harvest limit of 250 lobsters per day in Monroe County for the 2003-04 fishing year (NOTE: two commercial divers who each hold a 2002-03 and a 2003-04 saltwater products license with restricted species and lobster endorsements may possess up to 500 lobsters per vessel per day)
• Establishes a commercial dive permit for qualified fishermen beginning in the 2004-05 season, and establishes a moratorium on new permits effective Jan. 1, 2005
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession of dive permits and trap certificates beginning in the 2004-05 fishing year
• Provides procedures to allow another person to pull a harvester's traps under certain circumstances
• Prohibits all harvest of lobsters from illegal artificial habitat

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective April 1, 2004)

• Establishes a commercial lobster dive permit beginning in the 2004-05 fishing year
• Establishes a qualification period of either the license year July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001, July 1, 2001 - June 30, 2002, or July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2003
• Establishes a moratorium on issuing new permits from Jan. 1, 2005 until July 1, 2010
• Prohibits dive permit holders from also holding lobster trap certificates
• Specifies that the 250-lobster commercial dive vessel limit apply in Monroe, Dade, Broward, Collier and Lee counties
• Applies the 250-lobster vessel limit to lobsters caught with commercial bully nets statewide
• Prohibits divers from possessing lobsters exceeding the recreational bag limit within 10 yards of artificial habitats (as defined by FWC rule)
• Establishes the period of time when trap certificates may be transferred or inactivated in order to receive a dive permit
• Allows for landings qualifications to be either from an individual or vessel saltwater products license
• Specifies that the commercial dive permit applies only to a vessel
• Allows transfer of permits to an immediate family member in the event of disability or death of the permit holder
• Establishes an appeals program
• Establishes commercial lobster dive vessel markings
• Suspends the passive/active lobster-trap-reduction program for three years

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 15, 2004)

Expands the lobster trap certificate transfer period so that it occurs from June 15 through March 1 each year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective Jan. 9, 2006)

Extends the moratorium on reducing traps in the spiny lobster fishery through the 2007-08 license year.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 1, 2008)

• Extends the current moratorium on reducing the number of traps in the lobster fishery until July 1, 2009
• Allows two spiny lobster endorsement numbers to be displayed from one vessel
• Prohibits the harvest and possession of egg-bearing lobsters

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective July 1, 2009)

Reduces the number of lobster trap certificates by 10 percent when a commercial lobster harvester decides to sell or transfer trap certificates to a person outside his immediate family.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective March 21, 2010)

Extends the expiration date of the moratorium on new spiny lobster commercial dive permits from July 1, 2010, to July 1, 2015.

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68E-18, FAC (Effective July 1, 2012)

• Updates rule language to match Florida Statute 379.3671
• Clarifies that spiny lobster trap certificates revert to the FWC when fees go unpaid for two years (previously three years)

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24.002, FAC (Effective July 1, 2015)

Updates the Biscayne National Park definition in this chapter with the current reference to the legal description of the Park’s boundaries

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, CH 68B-24.0055, FAC (Effective July 1, 2015)

• Extends the moratorium on issuing new Commercial Dive Endorsements (CD) indefinitely
• allows the CD to be transferrable
• removes the requirement that the CD holder be onboard the vessel
• removes unnecessary and outdated rule language related to CDs
• clarifies remaining rule language

SPINY LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective May 1, 2017)

• Creates an open-access commercial bully net permit
• Requires commercial bully net vessels be marked with the harvester’s bully net permit number
• Prohibits trap pullers aboard vessels that are required to be marked with a bully net permit number
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession of a bully net and any underwater breathing apparatus aboard a vessel used in the harvest or transport of lobster for commercial purposes

SPINY LOBSTER (CRAWFISH) AND SLIPPER LOBSTER, EO 18-29 (Effective July 3, 2018)

• Modifies 2018 spiny lobster pre-season trap soak period
• Harvesters of spiny lobster using traps may place their traps in Florida Waters beginning July 28, 2018

SPINY LOBSTER, EO 18-12 Modification of 2018 Spiny Lobster Postseason Trap Retrieval Period (Effective March 22, 2018)

• All traps used for the harvest of spiny lobster shall be removed from Florida waters by April 10, 2018
• Grants extensions for the retrieval of traps from Florida waters up to a maximum of 10 days after the expiration of the 10-day retrieval period, or a total of 20 days after the close of the 2017-2018 spiny lobster season upon certain conditions
• Allows persons licensed to harvest spiny lobster using trap gear to sign up to retrieve other harvesters’ traps and allow them to retrieve theirs

SPINY LOBSTER, EO 18-29 Modification of 2018 Spiny Lobster Preseason Trap Soak Period (Effective July 28, 2018)

• Harvesters of spiny lobster using traps may place their traps in Florida Waters beginning on July 28, 2018
• Harvest or sale of spiny lobster from such traps during the trap soak period prior to the beginning of the season is prohibited

SPINY LOBSTER, CH 68B-24, FAC (Effective Nov. 01, 2018)

• Modifies the pre-season spiny lobster trap soak period to begin on the Saturday immediately following the recreational sport season (mini-season) each year
• Increases the amount of time allowed for commercial harvesters to remove spiny lobster traps from Florida waters from 5 days to 10 days after the end of the harvest season

SPONGES, CH 46-28, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1988)

Opens state waters to commercial sponge diving for a period of two years north of Egmont Key to the Taylor-Jefferson county line and beyond three miles from shore south of Egmont Key to the Monroe-Collier county line (diving for sponges in all other areas, including the Florida Keys, remains prohibited); provides definitions for "sponge" and "commercial sponge."

SPONGES, CH 46-28, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1990)

Extends limited allowance of sponge diving described above indefinitely.

SPONGES, CH 46-28, FAC (Effective Dec. 1, 1991)

Prohibits the harvest, possession, and landing of sponges from the waters of Biscayne National Park, effective Dec. 1, 1991.

SPONGES, CH 68B-28, FAC (Effective May 13, 2002)

• Establishes a sponge harvesting endorsement on the saltwater products license for persons who commercially harvest and sell sponges beginning July 1, 2002
• Sets a 10-piece per day bag limit and on-the-water possession limit for commercial sponge species harvested recreationally
• Prohibits harvest of any commercial sponge measuring less than five inches in greatest dimension, when wet, measured across the top of the sponge

SPONGES, CH 68B-28, FAC (Effective July 1, 2007)

Extends the area where harvest of commercial sponges by diving in Gulf waters is legal westward to Cape

San Blas and requires that all sponges harvested by diving must be cut rather than removed with a hook.

SPONGES, CH 68B-28, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, FAC (Effective Nov. 1, 1989)

• Designates spotted seatrout as a "restricted species"
• Prohibits snatch hooking and the use of multiple hooks when fishing for seatrout with natural bait
• Sets a recreational 14-inch minimum and 24-inch maximum size limit (one fish over 24 inches may be kept per day)
• Establishes daily bag limit and on the water possession limit of 10 fish per person
• Sets a 3-inch minimum net mesh size for the harvest of seatrout (the minimum net mesh size becomes 3½ inches on Jan. 1, 1993)
• Regulates commercial harvest by dividing the state into three regions - East Coast (Florida/Georgia line to Dade/Monroe county line), Southwest Coast (Dade/Monroe county line to Pinellas/Pasco county line), and Northwest Coast (Pinellas/Pasco county line to Florida/Alabama line); season begins Nov. 1 in each region and continues until Oct. 31 of the following year for each region; harvest limits set at 70% of the average harvest taken from 1984-1987; a 500 pound daily vessel limit applies until 50% of the season harvest limit is reached, then a 200 pound daily vessel limit applies until the season limit is harvested; commercial harvest of spotted seatrout ends in each region when the 200 pound season is closed and no sale of native seatrout is allowed beginning when all three regional quotas are met until the following Nov. 1

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1996)

• Prohibits all harvest of spotted seatrout in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line in February, and in all other state waters in November and December each year
• Establishes daily recreational bag limits of 7 spotted seatrout harvested in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line, and 5 spotted seatrout harvested from all other state waters
• Raises the minimum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested statewide to 15 inches total length
• Establishes a 24 inches total length maximum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested in state waters from the Pinellas/Pasco counties line to the Florida/Alabama line, and a 20 inches total length maximum size limit for spotted seatrout harvested in all other state waters (an allowance for the daily harvest of one fish larger than the respective maximum lengths applies statewide)
• Allows the commercial harvest and sale of spotted seatrout in June, July, and August only - a 75 fish daily vessel limit and a 15 inches total length minimum/24 inches maximum size limit applies during these months for all commercial harvest of spotted seatrout statewide
• Allows only the use of hook and line gear and cast nets for all harvest of spotted seatrout
• Prohibits the simultaneous possession aboard a vessel of any gill net or entangling net together with any spotted seatrout
• Requires all spotted seatrout to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of spotted seatrout that are not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Defines "total length" for spotted seatrout to mean the length of the fish measured from the most forward point of the head to the hindmost point of the tail

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 46-37, FAC (Effective Aug. 1, 1996)

Replaces the November/December closed season to the harvest of spotted seatrout with a December through February closure - in Nassau through Flagler counties only.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, FAC (Effective July 1, 2000)

• Creates two recreational management regions for spotted seatrout - the North Region includes state waters on the Gulf coast north and west of a line near the Pinellas/Pasco counties border (near Fred Howard County Park in Pinellas County), and on Florida's east coast north of the Volusia/Flagler counties border; the South Region includes all other state waters
• Establishes 15-inch minimum/20-inch maximum size limits statewide
• Establishes a five-fish daily bag limit in the North Region and a four fish limit in the South Region (one fish larger than the maximum size limit may be retained)
• Establishes a February closed season to spotted seatrout harvest in the North Region, and a November/December closed season in the South Region

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, FAC (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of spotted seatrout, "total length" means the straight-line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, FAC (Effective Feb. 1, 2012)

• Removes all recreational season closures
• Increases the recreational bag limit in the Northeast region to six fish
• Defines Southeast and Southwest regions
• Increases commercial seasons (Southeast: May 1- Sept 30; Northeast: June 1- Nov. 30; Southwest and Northwest: June 1- Oct. 31)
• Establishes a commercial vessel limit of 150 when two or more licensed fishermen are aboard
• Establishes sale of seatrout inventory will be allowed for 30 days after the season closes

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SPOTTED SEATROUT, EO 19-06 Temporary Modification of Regulations for Spotted Seatrout in Southwest Florida (Effective Feb. 22, 2019)

• A person may not harvest a spotted seatrout greater than 20inches in total length caught in or on the described region and may not possess or land a spotted seatrout greater than 20-inches in total length in the described region during the term of this order
• The provisions of this order apply in and on all waters of the following geographic areas:
• All Florida waters, and adjacent federal waters, off Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough. Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties; and
• All Florida waters, and adjacent federal waters, off Collier County north of a line extending due east and due west from the south bank at the mouth of Gordon Pass
• This order shall take effect at 12:00 a.m. on Feb. 22, 2019 and shall expire at 11 :59 p.m. on May 10, 2019, unless rescinded or extended by subsequent order

SPOTTED SEATROUT, EO 19-06 (Effective Feb. 22, 2019 – May 10, 2019)

• Temporarily modifies the spotted seatrout fishery to prohibit the harvest and possession of spotted seatrout greater than 20-inches in total length within specified waters of southwest Florida as follows
• All Florida waters, and adjacent federal waters, off Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough. Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties; and
• All Florida waters, and adjacent federal waters, off Collier County north of a line extending due east and due west from the south bank at the mouth of Gordon Pass

SPOTTED SEATROUT, EO 19-14 (Effective May 11, 2019 – May 31, 2020)

• Temporary modification of regulations for red drum, snook, and spotted seatrout in Southwest Florida
• A person must immediately release any red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout caught in or on the described region during the term of this order and may not possess or land a red drum, a snook, or a spotted seatrout in the described region
• A person may temporarily possess a red drum, snook or a spotted seatrout in or on the described region, only for the purpose of photographing, measuring, or weighing (with a hand­held scale) such red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout
• A person who temporarily possesses a red drum, a snook, or a spotted seatrout pursuant to this paragraph must release such red drum, snook, or spotted seatrout alive and unharmed in the immediate area where it was caught, immediately after it has been photographed, measured, or weighed
• During the term of this order, no Red Drum Catch-Hold-and-Release Tournament Exemption Permits will be issued for activities conducted within the described region
• The provisions of this order apply in and on all Florida waters of the following geographic areas:
• All Florida waters of Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee counties; and
• All Florida waters of Collier County north of a line extending due east and due west from the south bank at the mouth of Gordon Pass

SPOTTED SEATROUT, CH 68B-37, FAC (Effective Feb. 1, 2020)

• Modifies management zones
• Splits the current Northwest zone into the Western Panhandle and Big Bend zones
• Moves the border between the current Southwest and Southeast zones to the Broward-Palm Beach county line
• Reduces the recreational bag limits to three (3) fish in the Western Panhandle and South zones, two (2) fish in the Central East zone, and five (5) fish in the NE zone
• Modifies the recreational slot size limit to 15-19 inches
• Allows harvest of only one over-the-slot fish per vessel
• Prohibits guides (captain and crew) from keeping a personal bag limit when on a for-hire trip
• Re-establishes a February winter closure in the Western Panhandle and a November – December winter closure in the Central East zone
• Reduces the daily commercial trip and vessel limits to 50 seatrout per person with a maximum of 100 seatrout per vessel statewide
• Removes an unnecessary commercial reporting form. 

STATUTORY REPEAL PROCESS, TITLE 68-B, FAC (Effective March 1, 2005)

Intended to replace provisions located in Florida Statutes that regulate saltwater fishing with FWC rules.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective April 10, 1985)

Closed season: May 15 to Oct. 15

Minimum claw size: 2 3/4 inches forearm length (no tolerance on undersized claws)

Prohibited:

• Harvest of claws from egg-bearing females
• Possession of egg-bearing females
• Possession of live or dead stone crab body, except live crabs may be held temporarily on vessels at sea until claws are removed provided they are shaded, kept damp, and not compressed
• Any device which can puncture, crush, or injure crab body, such as spears, hooks, grabs, grains, etc.

Gear Restrictions:

• Nonwooden traps must have a biodegradable section
• Traps may be placed in the water and baited 10 days prior to season opening
• Traps must be removed from the water within 5 days after the season closes - D.N.R. may extend this time a maximum of 10 days under certain conditions
• Traps must be attached to buoys and marked according to certain specifications
• Traps may be transferred to others under certain conditions

STONE CRAB - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER87-2, FAC (Effective May 15 – Aug. 12, 1987)

Redefines stone crabs as any crustacean of the species Menippe mercenaria or Menippe adina or the interbreeding hybrid Menippe mercenaria x adina, or any part of such crustacean.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective Aug. 25, 1987)

Makes definition of stone crabs (described above) permanent, and allows importation of stone crabs under certain restrictions during closed seasons through 1989.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective April 18, 1990)

Reinstates a requirement that persons using traps to harvest stone crabs must hold a saltwater products license. Other technical changes are made in this rule to conform its language to the current trap number system in the stone crab fishery.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective June 17, 1993)

Prohibits the use of any trap in this fishery that has been treated with petroleum products, beginning Oct. 5, 1995.

STONE CRAB, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective Oct. 4, 1995)

• Establishes a maximum size of 2' X 2' X 2' for stone crab traps
• Establishes a maximum throat size of 3½" X 5½" for stone crab traps
• Requires wire stone crab traps to have the same escape rings as blue crab traps are required to have when used to harvest blue crabs
• Requires stone crab slat trap throats to be located on the top of the trap
• Requires degradable panels in all non-wooden stone crab traps
• Defines degradable panels for stone crab traps as having wooden slats with a maximum thickness of 3/4" that cover an escape hole no smaller than the throat size
• Establishes degradability requirements for stone crab traps: such traps are considered to have a legal degradable panel if the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to the trap by a single loop of untreated Jute twine, and the trap lid is secured so that when the jute degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed; or the trap lid tie-down strap is secured to one end with a corrodible hook composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, and the trap lid is secured so that when the hook degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high and 3 inches wide, and the opening is laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by a single length of untreated jute twine knotted only at each end and not tied or looped more than once around a single mesh bar; the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the jute degrades; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be obstructed with an untreated pine slat or slats no thicker than 3/8 inch - the opening in the sidewall of the trap must no longer be obstructed when the slat degrades; or the trap contains at least one sidewall with a vertical rectangular opening no smaller in either dimension than 6 inches high by 3 inches wide, and the opening must be laced, sewn, or otherwise obstructed by non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner or be obstructed with a panel of ferrous single-dipped galvanized wire mesh made of 24 gauge or thinner wire
• Allows recreational fishermen to use no more than five stone crab traps, with a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of stone crab claws per person, or 2 gallons of claws per vessel, and prohibits the use of power assisted gear to retrieve stone crab traps by recreational fishermen

STONE CRAB - TRAP VESSEL MARKING, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective Sept. 30, 1996)

Requires the color and trap number of marking buoys to be permanently and conspicuously displayed on vessels so that they are:

• readily identifiable from the air, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches high
• readily identifiable from the water, with the approved buoy design displayed and affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship; the display is required to exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in contrasting color, together with the permit numbers affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches high

STONE CRAB - WIRE TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1998)

• Requires that each throat (entrance) in all wire stone crab traps be horizontally oriented; the width of the opening where the throat meets the vertical wall of the trap and the opening of the throat at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap, shall be greater than the height of any such opening; no such throat shall extend farther than 6 inches into the inside of any trap, measured from where the throat opening meets the vertical wall of the trap to the throat opening at its farthest point from the vertical wall, inside the trap
• Provides that trap marking buoys be either spherical in shape with a diameter no smaller than 6 inches, or some other shape provided that it is no shorter than 10 inches in the longest dimension and the width at some point exceeds 5 inches

STONE CRAB - TRAP SPECIFICATIONS, CH 46-13, FAC (Effective June 1, 1999)

• Allows the use on stone crab traps of trap lid tie-down straps secured at one end by a loop composed of non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, 2 X 3/8 inch non-treated pine dowels or squares to replace the hook on tie-down straps, a 3 X 6 inch panel attached to the trap opening with 24 gauge or less wire or single strand jute
• Prohibits the use of a 24 gauge hook or tie-down strap on stone crab traps

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 1, 2000)

• Creates an effort management program to control the number of traps deployed in the stone crab fishery
• Merges the statutory provisions found in Chapter 370.13, Florida Statutes (season, license requirements, license moratorium) into the stone crab rule
• Changes the existing stone crab rule by modifying the definition of stone crab, by allowing two endorsements per boat, and by allowing another person to deploy, pull, and retrieve a fisherman's traps with permission of the owner and the Division of Law Enforcement

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 22, 2001)

• Provides rules to implement the appeals process and other components of the stone crab trap reduction program
• Delays the requirement that fishermen must have tags on stone crab traps until Oct. 1, 2002
• Extends the moratorium on the issuance of new stone crab endorsements until July 1, 2002

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective June 2, 2002)

Increases the number of trap certificates to be allotted by the advisory and appeals board to settle disputes from 100,000 to 180,000, and extends the life of the board to July 1, 2003.

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Repeals an obsolete law that limits stone crab trappers in Citrus, Dixie, Levy and Taylor counties to 600 traps each
• Prohibits partial payment of stone crab trap certificate fees
• Extends the Stone Crab Advisory Board through June 30, 2008 as an advisory board only and adjusts its membership qualifications

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 15, 2004)

• Expands the stone crab trap certificate transfer period so that it occurs from June 15 through March 1 each year.
• Allows stone crab trap certificate holders to forfeit, voluntarily and permanently, any number of their certificates
• Allows the biodegradable panel in wire stone crab traps to be oriented either vertically or horizontally

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 13, 2008)

• Continues the Stone Crab Advisory Board until July 1, 2011
• Allows the use of 16 gauge or thinner staples to secure stone crab trap tie-down lids or the panel on wire stone crab traps

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective May 1, 2011)

Allows the transfer of stone crab trap certificates from May 1 through the end of February.

STONE CRAB, CH 68B-13, FAC (Effective July 1, 2011)

• Extends state rules for stone crab into all adjacent federal waters where stone crab rules are absent
• Removes references to a federal form that will no longer be required after the repeal of the federal FMP
• Establishes a stone crab endorsement requirement in order to possess stone crabs for commercial purposes

STONE CRAB, 68B-13.008, FAC (Effective Oct. 5, 2015)

• Modifies trap construction requirements for the stone crab fishery in Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade counties to ensure the traps are designed to target stone crab
• Prohibits the use of round entrances and limits entrance size to no larger than 5 1/2 inches by 3 1/8 inches

STONE CRAB, 68B-13, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 2019)

• Requires annual recreational stone crab trap registration
• Requires an active SPL, RS, and stone crab endorsement to retain stone crab trap allotment, effective July 2019

STONE CRAB, 68B-13, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 2020)

• Moves the season end date to May 1
• Requires a 2 3/16-inch escape ring in all plastic and wood stone crab traps before the start of the 2023/2024 season
• Increases the minimum claw size limit to 2 7/8-inch
• Limits possession of whole stone crabs on the water to two checker boxes, each up to 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet OR a total volume of 24 cubic feet

STRIPED BASS, CH 46-5, FAC (Effective March 1, 1988)

Declares striped bass to be a freshwater species in Florida, and transfers management to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

STURGEON, CH 46-15, FAC (Effective November 25, 1984)

Prohibits all harvest in state waters.

STURGEON, CH 68B-15, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

SWORDFISH, 68B-57, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Swordfish removed from Billfish and Swordfish Chapter 68B-33 and placed into new chapter of its own.

SWORDFISH, 68B-57, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

• Designated swordfish as a restricted species
• Required a valid RS for commercial swordfish harvest and sale
• Exempted commercial harvesters possessing either a Swordfish General Commercial permit or an HMS Charter/Headboat permit (when not on a for-hire trip) from recreational bag and vessel limits and allowed sale of commercially-caught swordfish under these permits
• Closed state waters to commercial harvest if adjacent federal waters were closed
• Required wholesale dealers purchasing swordfish to possess a valid federal Atlantic swordfish dealer permit
• Restricted gear to hook and line in state waters; allow transit of legally harvested swordfish from federal waters
• Modified the minimum cleithrum to keel size limit to 25 inches
• Clarified federal rule references

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25.001, FAC (Effective July 9, 1987)

Prohibits harvest of all fishes by net, excluding the use of common hand cast nets, in the waters of all creeks, canals, bayous, tributaries, bays and inlets, and all waters within 100 yards of the mouth of such bodies of water, between the southeast side of the mouth of Rocky Creek to the northwest side of the mouth of Double Branch Creek, in Old Tampa Bay.

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1988)

Closes E.G. Simmons Park in Hillsborough County to the harvest of all fish by net, excluding cast nets and hand-held landing or dip nets.

TAMPA BAY, CH 46-25, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1990)

Prohibits harvest of any fish in and on the waters of Old Tampa Bay north of the Gandy Bridge, including any creek or bayou emptying into such waters, except by hook and line, landing or dip net, cast net, gill or trammel net, a crab trap specifically allowed by Rule 46-13.002, FAC or 370.135, F.S., and a shrimp trap specifically allowed by Section 370.15(5), F.S.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 30, 1988)

• Provides definitions of "professional fishing guides" and "tarpon" for purposes of the rule chapter
• Limits the total number of tarpon tags to be issued by the D.N.R. in calendar year 1989 to 10,000, 5,000 of which will be allotted to professional fishing guides

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 1, 1989)

Limits the total number of tarpon tags to be issued by the D.N.R. in calendar year 1990 to 10,000, 5,000 of which will be allotted to professional fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Oct. 1, 1990)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags to be issued for 1991 calendar year the same as for 1990, listed above.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Dec. 4, 1991)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1992 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 26, 1992)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1993 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 29, 1993)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1994 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1995)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1995 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1996)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold in 1996 at 2,500, with 1,250 reserved for fishing guides.

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 27, 1996)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the first six months of 1997 at 1,250, and during the last six months of 1997 at 1,250 (one half the number of tags are reserved for fishing guides during each period).

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 12, 1997)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the first six months of 1998 at 1,250, and during the last six months of 1998 at 1,250 (one half the number of tags are reserved for fishing guides during each period).

TARPON, CH 46-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 16, 1998)

Sets the total number of tarpon tags allowed to be sold during the July 1 - June 30 license year at 2,500 (with 1,250 tags reserved for fishing guides).

TARPON, CH 68B-32, FAC (Effective March 28, 2004)

• Prohibits the intentional "snagging" or "snatch hooking" of tarpon, which is defined as the intentional catch of a fish by any device intended to impale or hook tarpon by any part of its body other than the mouth
• Limits the number of fishing lines/rods used per boat to fish for tarpon in Boca Grande Pass to no more than three during April, May and June

TARPON, CH 68B-32, FAC (Effective July 1, 2004)

• Repeals the rule provision that limits the number of fishing lines/rods used per boat to fish for tarpon in Boca Grande Pass to no more than three during April, May and June - enacts a new rule instead that applies the three-line-per-vessel provision for the harvest of all species of fish in Boca Grande Pass during April, May and June (see this provision in GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR)
• Prohibits use of breakaway gear to harvest any fish in Boca Grande Pass during April, May and June - breakaway gear is defined to mean any bob, float, weight, lure or spoon that is affixed to a fishing line or hook with wire, line, rubber bands, plastic ties or other fasteners designed to break off when a fish is caught (see this provision in GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR)

TARPON, CH 68B-32, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

• Made tarpon a catch-and release-only fishery
• Eliminated tournament exemption permit for bonefish
• Limited gear for tarpon to hook and line only
• Limited transport or shipment of tarpon to one per person
• Allowed temporary possession of tarpon for photography, measurement of length and girth, and scientific sampling (Greater than 40 inches kept in water)
• Allowed for purchase of one tarpon tag per person per year (except charter boat captains) and use of tarpon tag only when in pursuit of an IGFA record
• Created a vessel limit of one tarpon
• Prohibited the use of multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait to harvest or attempt to harvest tarpon
• Eliminated reporting requirements
• Changed the tag issue year to a calendar year
• Updated tarpon tag form
• Extended tarpon regulations into federal waters

TARPON, CH 68B-32, FAC (Effective Nov. 1, 2013) & see GEAR SPECIFICATIONS AND PROHIBITED GEAR, CH 68B-4

• Modified the current statewide tarpon snagging definition and incorporated a provision for enticing tarpon to strike
• Prohibited the attachment of a weight to the bottom of any hook, artificial fly or lure
• Required the above gear to be stowed while in the pass
• Applied year-round when fishing for any species in the pass

TARPON, CH 68B-32, FAC (Effective Feb. 4, 2019)

Allows tarpon tag use for harvest when in pursuit of a Florida state or IGFA world record Clarifies that tarpon over 40” fork length cannot be removed from the water unless harvested in pursuit of a record using a tarpon tag

TRAP RETRIEVAL and TRAP DEBRIS REMOVAL, CH 68B-55, FAC (Effective July 1, 2003)

• Authorizes public and private organizations to remove trap debris from shoreline areas landward of mean low water
• Requires that trap debris removal in other areas of state waters proceed only after prior authorization by the FWC
• Provides requirements for the trap retrieval program funded pursuant to Section 370.143, F.S.
• Provides for FWC-sanctioned retrieval of derelict traps during open and closed season period

TRAP RETRIEVAL and TRAP DEBRIS REMOVAL, CH 68B-55, FAC (Effective Oct. 15, 2007)

• Allows licensed spiny lobster, stone crab and blue crab trap fishers to designate people to recover and possess their traps when the governor and FWC declare an emergency
• Exempts local, state or federal officials from having to get FWC approval before removing traps and trap debris from areas where trapping is prohibited and modifies the definition of a derelict trap to account for a requirement that blue crab traps must be marked with FWC trap tags

TRIPLETAIL, CH 46-49, FAC (Effective Jan. 1, 1996)

• Establishes 15 inches minimum size limit for all harvesters
• Establishes a 2 fish daily recreational harvest and possession limit
• Establishes a 10 fish daily commercial vessel limit
• Allows only hook and line gear (with a 2-fish commercial daily vessel bycatch allowance for tripletail otherwise legally harvested in nonconforming gear)
• Designates tripletail as a "restricted species"
• Defines "length" (for purposes of determining the size limit) as the measurement of the fish from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail
• Requires tripletail to be landed in a whole condition, and prohibits the possession of any such fish that is not in a whole condition in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty
• Prohibits the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with natural bait, and snagging (snatch hooking) to harvest tripletail in state waters

TRIPLETAIL, CH 46-49, FAC (Effective Aug. 31, 1998)

Prohibits the sale of undersize tripletail.

TRIPLETAIL, CH 68B-49, FAC (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of tripletail, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

TRIPLETAIL, CH 68B-49, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.

TRIPLETAIL, CH 68B-49, FAC (Effective July 1, 2018)

• Increases the minimum size limit from 15 to 18 inches total length
• Extends FWC’s recreational and commercial regulations into federal waters

VOLUSIA COUNTY FLOUNDER GIGGING - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER97-1, FACFAC (Effective April 15 - July 13, 1997)

Allows fishermen in Volusia County to harvest flounder with a barbed spear with not more than 3 prongs.

VOLUSIA COUNTY FLOUNDER GIGGING, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective July 30, 1997)

Makes above rule permanent.

VOLUSIA COUNTY SPECIAL ACT, CH 68B-3.008, FAC (Effective Oct. 16, 2002)

• Allows the use of pinfish traps and recreational blue crab traps in Volusia County inland waters
• Conforms commercial blue crab trap regulations in the county with statewide rule

VOLUSIA COUNTY SHEEPSHEAD GIGGING, CH 46-3, FAC (Effective January 1, 2005)

Allows legal size sheepshead to be taken with a barbed spear (gig) with not more than three prongs in the inland waters of Volusia County.

WAHOO, 68B-58, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Wahoo removed from Dolphin and Wahoo Chapter 68B-41 and placed into new chapter of its own.

WAHOO, 68B-57.003, FAC (Effective Sept. 13, 2016)

Creates an exception allowing recreational anglers to land wahoo as fillets instead of as whole fish, provided the wahoo were recreationally harvested in The Bahamas and specific conditions are met

WEAKFISH - Emergency Rule, CH 46ER94-2, FAC (Effective Dec. 13, 1994 - March 12, 1995)

• Prohibits the harvest (within or without Atlantic state waters), possession, landing, and sale of weakfish (also known as gray seatrout or yellow-mouth trout) with a total length less than 12 inches
• Requires that weakfish be landed in a whole condition /li>
• Establishes a daily harvest and landing limit of 4 weakfish for recreational fishermen
• Establishes a daily vessel harvest and landing limit of 50 pounds of weakfish for commercial fishermen

WEAKFISH, CH 46-47, FAC (Effective July 17, 1995)

This rule establishes a minimum size limit of 12 inches total length and a personal daily recreational bag limit of 4 weakfish harvested from the state's Atlantic coast.

WEAKFISH, CH 68B-47, FAC (Effective July 1, 2006)

Provides that, for purposes of determining the legal size of weakfish, "total length" means the straight line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed, while the fish is lying on its side.

WEAKFISH, CH 68B-47, FAC (Effective July 27, 2010)

• Applies weakfish management rules only in state waters of Nassau County from the shore out to three miles off Amelia Island and the St. Marys River and its tributaries south to State Highway 200A and the Shave Bridge on the Amelia River, as well as inland waters east of Highway 17 (about 20 miles inland), which is the saltwater demarcation line.
• Establishes a 1-fish recreational bag limit and 100 pound commercial trip limit for all weakfish-like fish (including weakfish, sand seatrout, and their hybrids) in the Nassau county weakfish management area.

WEAKFISH, CH 68B-47, FAC (Effective Sept. 1, 2013)

Chapter reorganized and reformatted as part of phase one of the rule cleanup process.