As used in Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.005, through the remainder of the chapter:
    (1) “”Baiting”” means the harvest of shrimp by cast net, in the vicinity of poles or stakes driven into the bottom, after a bait (substance used to attract shrimp) has been released in the area.
    (2) “”Bar measurement”” means the mesh size of a net as measured by the distance from the center of a knot to the center of an adjacent knot.
    (3) “”Big Bend Region”” means all state waters of Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties, and all state waters of Wakulla County east of the following described line:
Beginning at the St. Marks Lighthouse, proceed southerly on a straight line to flashing channel marker #1; thence, southerly in a straight line to a point on the state waters boundary where a straight line from flashing channel marker #1 to flashing bell buoy #24 intersects with said boundary.
    (4) “”Body,”” as it relates to a part of a shrimp trawl net, means the forward, larger portion of a trawl, extending from wing to wing and from the leading edge of the net to the point of tail (cod end) attachment.
    (5) “”Brine Box”” means a container holding water that has a higher salinity than the surrounding seawater.
    (6) “”Cod end,”” also known as the “”tail”” or “”bag”” of a shrimp trawl, means the terminal cylinder of heavy webbing in which the catch is concentrated as the trawl is fished and which is closed at its rearmost extent by means of purse line or draw string.
    (7) “”Daylight hours”” means the period beginning 1/2 hour before official sunrise and continuing through 1/2 hour after official sunset, each day.
    (8) “”Food shrimp producer”” means a person who is not a live bait shrimp producer, but is harvesting shrimp in quantities greater than the bag limit specified in Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.007, or with a gear authorized for the specific region in Rules 68B-31.010 through 68B-31.014, F.A.C.
    (9) “”Frame net”” means a net in the form of an elongated bag kept open by a rigid frame that is buoyed by floats and is not fished or dragged along the bottom.
    (10) “”Harvest”” means the catching or taking of shrimp by any means whatsoever, followed by a reduction of such shrimp to possession.
    (11) “”Inland waters”” means all creeks, rivers, bayous, bays, inlets, and canals.
    (12) “”Inshore waters”” means all state waters landward of the Colregs Demarcation Line.
    (13) “”Land,”” when used in conjunction with the harvest of shrimp, means the physical act of bringing the harvested shrimp ashore.
    (14) “”Live bait shrimp producer”” means any person harvesting shrimp for the purpose of delivering and selling that shrimp alive for use as bait.
    (15) “”Northeast Region”” means all state waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia, and Brevard Counties, including all of the St. Johns River.
    (16) “”Northwest Region”” means all state waters of Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin Counties, and all state waters of Wakulla County west of the line described in subsection (3) of this rule.
    (17) “”Otter trawl”” means a trawl with its mouth kept open by means of boards or “”doors”” on each side.
    (18) “”Perimeter”” means the opening or entrance to a shrimp net or trawl formed and limited by attachment of the net mesh to a line or frame, which line or frame is securely attached so as to form a continuous perimeter around the leading edge of the net. The perimeter so formed is measured from point to point along the line or frame forming the leading edge of the net.
    (19) “”Push net”” means a mesh net or bag attached to the outer edges of a triangular or rectangular rigid frame with a handle attached that is fished by being pushed across the bottom by a person wading.
    (20) “”Roller frame trawl”” means a trawl with all of the following features:
    (a) A rectangular rigid frame to keep the mouth open while being towed.
    (b) The lower horizontal beam of the frame has rollers to allow the trawl to roll over the bottom and any obstructions while being towed.
    (c) The trawl opening is shielded by a grid of vertical bars.
    (d) The trawl is towed by attaching a line or towing cable to a tongue located above or at the center of the upper horizontal beam of the frame.
    (e) The trawl has no doors attached to keep the mouth of the trawl open.
    (21) “”Shrimp”” means any decapod crustacean of the species Penaeus aztecus (brown shrimp), Penaeus brasiliensis (pinkspotted shrimp), Penaeus duorarum (pink shrimp), Penaeus setiferus (white shrimp), Rimapenaeus constrictus (roughneck shrimp), Rimapenaeus similis (roughback shrimp), and Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (seabob).
    (22) “”Skimmer trawl”” means a trawl with the following features:
    (a) A rigid “”L””-shaped or triangular metal frame that is deployed amidship from either side of the harvesting vessel.
    (b) The inboard portion of the frame is attached to the vessel, while the outboard portion runs along the seabed on a skid or “”shoe.””
    (c) The net mouth or perimeter is hung along the outer edges of the frame and kept open with a bullet weight holding the lower inboard corner of the net mouth on the bottom.
    (d) A tickler chain may be attached below the lead line between the shoe and the bullet weight.
    (e) The trawl is pushed alongside the harvesting vessel and generally fishes the entire water column.
    (23) “”Southeast Region”” means all state waters of Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, and Monroe Counties.
    (24) “”Southwest Region”” means all state waters of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties.
    (25) “”Tampa Bay”” means all waters of the bay east and north of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (US 19 and Interstate 275).
    (26) “”Trawl”” means a net in the form of an elongated bag with the mouth kept open by various means and fished by being towed or dragged on the bottom.
    (27) “”Trip”” means a fishing trip of whatever duration which begins with departure of the fishing vessel from a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp and which terminates with return to a dock, berth, beach, seawall, or ramp.
    (28) “”Try net”” means a small otter trawl used to test waters for the presence or size of shrimp.
    (29) “”Wing net”” means a net in the form of an elongated bag kept open by a rigid frame that is attached to either side of a vessel, and is not towed behind a vessel or dragged along the bottom.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-92, Amended 3-16-93, 11-29-93, 10-3-94, 6-3-96, 6-1-99, Formerly 46-31.006, Amended 12-2-99, 3-1-05, 12-15-19, 5-1-22.