Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68B-24.006 - Gear: Traps, Buoys, Identification Requirements, Prohibited Devices

(1) No commercial harvester shall harvest lobster by any means other than by diving, by the use of a bully net or hoop net, or by the use of traps as specified in this subsection.

(2) No person shall, in state waters, fish with, set, place, or cause to be fished with, set, or placed, any trap except a wood trap or plastic trap meeting the following specifications:

(a) Wood slat traps shall be no larger in dimension than 3 feet, by 2 feet, by 2 feet, or the volume equivalent. Such traps may be reinforced with wire mesh no heavier than 9 gauge, which shall only be affixed to the wood slats constituting the vertical surfaces of such traps. Beginning August 1, 2003, wire-reinforced wooden slat traps shall be constructed with wood slats that are a minimum of 1 1/4 inches wide, with a maximum spacing between slats of 2 1/4 inches.

(b) Plastic traps shall be no larger in dimension than 3 feet, by 2 feet, by 2 feet, or the volume equivalent, and shall have a degradable panel no smaller than 6 inches in length and 4 inches in width located on the top horizontal section of the trap. The panel shall only be considered degradable if it is constructed of cypress or untreated pine slats no thicker than 3/4 inch.

(c) The throats or entrances to all traps used to harvest spiny lobster shall be located on the top horizontal section of the trap, and shall be measured using the inside dimensions of the throat. If the throat is longer in one dimension, the throat size in the longer dimension shall not be smaller than 6 inches and in the shorter dimension shall not be smaller than 3 1/2 inches. If the throat is round or square, the throat size shall not be smaller than 5 1/2 inches in diameter or per side, respectively.

(3) All traps shall have a buoy or a time release buoy attached to each spiny lobster trap or at each end of a weighted trap trotline which shall be a minimum of six inches in diameter and constructed of styrofoam, cork, molded polyvinyl chloride, or molded polystyrene, and shall be of sufficient strength and buoyancy to float and of such color, hue, and brilliancy as to be easily distinguished, seen, and located. Landward of the Territorial Sea Line, no more than 15 feet of any buoy line attached to a buoy used to mark spiny lobster trap or trotline shall float on the surface of the water.

(4) Each trap and buoy used to harvest spiny lobster shall have the commercial harvester's current crawfish license or trap number permanently affixed in legible figures. Each such trap shall also have firmly affixed thereto a current trap tag issued annually by the Commission. Traps with tags that are not firmly affixed by nails, staples, or otherwise securely fastened as may be provided by the Commission, shall be considered untagged for enforcement purposes. On each buoy, the affixed crawfish license or trap number shall be at least 2 inches high. The buoy color and license or trap number shall also be permanently and conspicuously displayed on any vessel used by a commercial harvester for setting traps and buoys, so as to be readily identifiable from the air and water, in the following manner:

(a) From the Air - The buoy design approved by the Commission shall be displayed and be permanently affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel and displayed horizontally with the painted design up. The display shall exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 20 inches in diameter, outlined in a contrasting color, together with the permit numbers permanently affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 10 inches in height.

(b) From the Water - The buoy design approved by the Commission shall be displayed and be permanently affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel near amidship. The display shall exhibit the harvester's approved buoy design, unobstructed, on a circle 8 inches in diameter, outlined in a contrasting color, together with the permit numbers permanently affixed beneath the circle in numerals no smaller than 4 inches in height.

(5) Except as provided herein, no numbers shall be used to identify traps or buoys other than the commercial harvester's current crawfish license or trap numbers or numbers designating federal permits. Ownership of spiny lobster traps used by any commercial harvester may be transferred to other persons, so long as the following conditions are met:

(a) The person acquiring ownership of such traps shall notify the Division of Law Enforcement within five days of acquiring ownership as to the number of traps purchased, the vendor, and the license or trap number currently displayed on the traps, and shall request issuance of a crawfish license or trap number if the person does not possess same.

(b) Buoys shall be renumbered and recolored at the first pulling of traps.

(c) The new license or trap number shall be permanently attached to the traps prior to their being set at the beginning of the next open season.

(d) The new owner shall retain a valid bill of sale.

(6) Each commercial harvester who harvests spiny lobster by diving shall permanently and conspicuously display on the boat used in such diving a "divers-down flag" symbol on an identification placard, which symbol shall have dimensions no less than 16 inches by 20 inches. The term "divers-down flag" shall have the meaning ascribed in Section 861.065(3), F.S. The commercial harvester's current crawfish license shall be permanently affixed to the diagonal stripe on the placard in legible figures to provide ready identification from the air and water. In addition to the "divers-down flag" symbol, the commercial diver permit number shall also be permanently and conspicuously displayed on any vessel used by a commercial diver to harvest spiny lobster, so as to be readily identifiable from the air and water, in the following manner:

(a) From the Air - The commercial dive permit number shall be displayed and be permanently affixed to the uppermost structural portion of the vessel in numerals no smaller than 10 inches in height. If the vessel is an open design, in lieu of a separate display, one seat shall be painted with the permit numbers unobstructed and no smaller than 10 inches in height.

(b) From the Water - The commercial dive permit number shall be displayed and be permanently affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel in numerals no smaller than 4 inches in height.

(7) Each person who harvests spiny lobster for commercial purposes with a bully net shall permanently and conspicuously display on the vessel used in such bully netting the harvester's commercial bully net permit number in legible figures to provide ready identification. The commercial bully net permit number shall be displayed and be permanently affixed vertically to both the starboard and port sides of the vessel using opaque retroreflective paint or other opaque retroreflectlve material in numerals no smaller than 4 inches in height.

(8) No person shall operate any vessel that is required to be marked with a bully net permit number pursuant to subsection (7), in Florida Waters with a trap puller aboard.

(9) During any time of the year when it is legal to transport spiny lobster traps, a harvester shall obtain permission from the Division of Law Enforcement to allow another person to transport, deploy, pull, or retrieve his or her traps.

(a) Permission shall be granted upon receipt of a written statement signed by both the commercial harvester seeking to have his or her traps pulled and the person designated to pull the traps.

1. Such written statement shall contain the following:

a. The reason the harvester needs to have his or her traps pulled,

b. The numbers of the saltwater products license and crawfish endorsement of both, the harvester seeking to have the traps pulled and the person who will be pulling the traps,

c. The buoy colors of the harvester seeking such permission,

d. The name and number of the vessel to be used by the person who will be pulling the traps,

e. The general locations of the pulling activity of the vessel to be engaged in pulling the traps; and,

f. The dates the other person will be transporting, deploying, pulling or retrieving the traps.

2. Permission to pull traps in this manner shall be obtained daily by telephone from the Division of Law Enforcement for a maximum of 5 days without renewal or extension of the request.

(b) Permission to have traps pulled by another person for a longer period of time, must be based on extraordinary circumstances such as severe personal or family illness or accident or major equipment problem, and shall be obtained through petition to the Division of Law Enforcement on Commission Form DMF-SL5030 (02-13) (Spiny Lobster Trap Pulling Petition) found online at http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-02668, herein incorporated by reference, and shall be granted upon such conditions as the division deems appropriate for the protection of the resource.

1. It shall be the responsibility of the commercial harvester, or a member of the harvester's immediate family, to petition the division.

2. The petition shall include:

a. A complete description of the extraordinary circumstances with corroborating documentation,

b. The amount of additional time requested,

c. The number of traps to be pulled; and,

d. A notarized statement from the other person, attesting to his/her willingness and ability to pull these traps during this time period as well as an awareness of all rules governing the spiny lobster fishery.

(c) The person designated to pull the petitioner's traps is required to establish a float plan with Division of Law Enforcement Dispatch for each day traps will be pulled prior to pulling traps.

(d) If the person designated to pull the petitioner's traps does not possess a saltwater products license with restricted species and a crawfish endorsement, the petitioner, as the license holder of record must possess a vessel saltwater products license and shall be held accountable for the designee's compliance with all regulations governing the spiny lobster fishery.

(e) Permission to pull another's traps shall not be granted to a person holding a commercial dive permit.

(10) No person shall harvest or attempt to harvest spiny lobster using any device which will or could puncture, penetrate, or crush the exoskeleton (shell) or the flesh of the lobster, and the use of such devices as part of, or in conjunction with, any trap is also prohibited.

(11) No person shall harvest or attempt to harvest spiny lobster using or with the aid of bleach or any other chemical solution. The simultaneous possession of spiny lobster and any plastic or other container capable of ejecting liquid, by any person engaged in diving, is prohibited.

(12) No person shall harvest any spiny lobster from artificial habitat. The harvest and possession in the water of spiny lobster in excess of the recreational bag limit is hereby prohibited within 10 yards of artificial habitat.

(13) Except as provided in subsection (9), of this rule, no more than two spiny lobster (trap) endorsement numbers (C-numbers) shall be used on a single vessel.

Notes

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68B-24.006

Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.

New 7-2-87, Amended 7-2-90, 3-1-92, 7-1-92, 6-1-94, 10-4-95, 9-30-96, 6-1-99, Formerly 46-24.006, Amended 7-1-01, 7-9-02, 7-7-03, 4-1-04, 7-1-08, 6-19-13, Amended by Florida Register Volume 43, Number 060, March 28, 2017 effective 5/1/2017.

New 7-2-87, Amended 7-2-90, 3-1-92, 7-1-92, 6-1-94, 10-4-95, 9-30-96, 6-1-99, Formerly 46-24.006, Amended 7-1-01, 7-9-02, 7-7-03, 4-1-04, 7-1-08, 6-19-13, 5-1-17.