25552242, 68B-41.002 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Florida Department of State and Division of Library and Information Services

Notice: 25552242

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Division:

Marine Fisheries

Chapter:

DOLPHIN

Overview

RULE:

68B-41.002	Definitions
68B-41.004	Bag and Vessel Limits; Bycatch Allowance

PURPOSE:

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is changing to recreational dolphin bag and vessel limits in Atlantic state waters in response to stakeholder concerns about the status of the dolphin fishery.  In recent years, charter captains and anglers have raised concerns about the declines in size and abundance of dolphin in southeast Florida and the Keys, and these observations are supported by Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s recreational landings analyses.  
The purpose of these rule changes is to provide additional conservation measures for dolphin and help address stakeholder concerns.
The effect of the rule amendments is to reduce the recreational bag limit from 10 to 5 fish per person and reduce the private recreational vessel limit from 60 to 30 fish per vessel for Atlantic state waters.  The rule amendments also clarify that captain and crew are prohibited from retaining a bag limit on for-hire trips statewide.

SUMMARY:

These rule amendments modify the dolphin recreational bag and vessel limits for dolphin in Atlantic state waters.  Additionally, the proposed rules clarify that captain and crew are prohibited from retaining a bag limit on for-hire trips statewide.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

LAW:

Article IV, Section 9, Florida Constitution

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

2/10/2022 Vol. 48/28

COMMENTS:

From 2/10/2022 To 3/3/2022 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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