Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68B-31.0062 - Southeast Region: Allowable Gear and Harvest Methods; Prohibited Gear; Seasonal and Spatial Trawling Restrictions

Each person harvesting or attempting to harvest shrimp in the Southeast Region shall comply with the requirements specified in this rule.

(1) Recreational Harvesters.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) for Miami-Dade County, a recreational harvester may not harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp in or from Florida Waters of the Southeast Region by or with the use of gear or methods not expressly permitted in subsection 68B-31.006(1), F.A.C.

(b) A recreational harvester may not harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp in or from Florida Waters of Miami-Dade County by or with the use of a frame net.

(2) Live Bait Shrimp Producers. A live bait shrimp producer may not harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp in or from Florida Waters of the Southeast Region by or with the use of gear or methods not expressly permitted in paragraph 68B-31.006(2)(b), F.A.C.

(3) Food Shrimp Producers. In all nearshore and inshore Florida Waters of the Southeast Region, a food shrimp producer may harvest or attempt to harvest shrimp only by or with the use of the following gear:

(a) Wing nets meeting the following specifications:

1. A wing net may not have an opening larger than 28 feet around the perimeter.

2. No more than two unconnected wing nets may be attached to or fished from a single vessel.

3. A wing net may not be fished by towing or dragging it over the bottom.

4. Each wing net shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by paragraph 68B-31.006(2)(a), F.A.C.

(b) A frame net, deployed from a vessel, meeting the following specifications:

1. A frame net may not have an opening larger than 28 feet around the perimeter.

2. No more than one frame net may be fished from a single vessel.

3. A frame net may not be fished from a vessel also using wing nets.

4. A frame net may not be fished by towing or dragging it across the bottom.

5. Each frame net shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by paragraph 68B-31.006(2)(a), F.A.C.

(c) In all waters of the Southeast Region outside nearshore and inshore Florida Waters, a food shrimp producer may not use any otter trawl, or possess any otter trawl that is rigged for fishing aboard any vessel, if such trawl does not have a bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed meeting the requirements of subsection 68B-31.006(4), F.A.C.

(4) Seasonal and Spatial Trawling Restrictions.

(a) Beginning October 1 and continuing through May 31 of the following year, a person may not use any trawl within Florida Waters of the Gulf of Mexico east of a continuous line drawn from Point U through points V, W, X, Y, Z, and AA:

Point	North Latitude	West Longitude
U	24°37.06'	81°36.75'
V	24°49.30'	81°46.40'
W	24°54.50'	81°50.50'
X	25°09.00'	81°47.60'
Y	26°00.00'	82°04.00'
Z	26°16.00'	81°58.50'
AA	26°16.00'	81°49.57'

(b) Biscayne National Park - As provided in Rule 68B-7.008, F.A.C., a person may not use a trawl within the No-Trawl Zones of Biscayne National Park.

Notes

Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68B-31.0062

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

Adopted by Florida Register Volume 50, Number 173, September 4, 2024 effective 9/19/2024.