14868080, 68B-14.0045 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

Home

Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 14868080

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Marine Fisheries

Chapter:

REEF FISH

Overview

RULE:

68B-14.0045

Commercial Harvest Requirements; Licenses, Season Closures, Bag and Trip Limits

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this rule amendment is to eliminate unnecessary language specifying Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 commercial fishing seasons for reef fish and a June 1 through May 31 commercial fishing season for black sea bass in state waters of the Atlantic. This rule was originally intended to give the Commission the ability to close state waters to commercial harvest of these species when adjacent federal waters were closed due to federal quotas being met or exceeded. However, state rules that specify commercial fishing seasons for reef fish and Atlantic black sea bass are no longer necessary to enforce commercial closures and can be removed.  Florida’s Reef Fish rule (68B-14) now requires commercial fishermen harvesting federally-managed reef fish species (including black sea bass) to abide by federal season closures in adjacent state waters, so listing these commercial fishing seasons in state rules is no longer necessary. 
The effect of this rule amendment will be to remove unnecessary and confusing language from the Commission’s Reef Fish rule, which will improve enforceability of state rules and make commercial regulations easier to understand.

SUMMARY:

: The rule amendment will eliminate language specifying Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 commercial fishing seasons for reef fish and a June 1 through May 31 commercial fishing season for black sea bass in state waters of the Atlantic.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

7/25/2014 Vol. 40/144

COMMENTS:

From 7/25/2014 To 8/15/2014 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

Under Florida law, E-mail addresses are public records. If you do not want your E-mail address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing.