19541443, 68B-31.0156 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Notice: 19541443

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Marine Fisheries

Chapter:

SHRIMP

Overview

RULE:

68B-31.0156

Florida East Coast Shrimp Bed: Repeal of Section 370.156, Florida Statutes; Seasonal Food Shrimp Production Closure; Exception; Definition

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this rule amendment is to modify the Commission’s Florida East Coast Shrimp Bed regulations, 68B-31.0156, Florida Administrative Code (FAC).  The proposed amendment would modify the boundaries of the area off northeast Florida that is open to the commercial harvest of food shrimp during April and May.

The state waters on the Atlantic coast generally extend three nautical miles from the coast.  However, in the case of the St. Johns River mouth, the state waters boundary extends three nautical miles from the offshore jetties that stabilize the entrance to the river.  This creates a seaward curve in the state waters boundary in the region. The curvature of this line is referred to by shrimpers in the region as the “bubble.” 

In 1995, the Marine Fisheries Commission created an exception to the April-May shrimping closure for a portion of the “bubble” at the industry’s request.  Shrimp in this area were believed to be large enough to be marketable, as were those in adjacent federal waters, and it was easier for the shrimp fleet to operate if they could trawl through the “bubble” when fishing in federal waters instead of having to pick up their nets or trawl around it. 

The shrimp industry has requested they be allowed to shrimp throughout the entire “bubble” during the two-month closure so that they can trawl continuously across the entire area.  This change would require moving the western boundary of the area open to fishing between 0.5 – 1 mile to the west. Thereby creating a straight line that cuts directly across the base of the “bubble” and approximates a straight line three nautical miles off the mouth of the St. Johns River.

SUMMARY:

Modifications to the western boundary line for the allowable harvest area would expand the area slightly and make it easier for the shrimp fishery in the region to operate without negatively impacting the shrimp resource.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

10/16/2017 Vol. 43/200

COMMENTS:

From 10/16/2017 To 11/6/2017 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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