Florida Regulations 68B-31.012: Southwest Region Food Shrimp Production Gear Specifications
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Each person harvesting shrimp in the Southwest Region as a food shrimp producer shall comply with the requirements specified in this rule.
(1) Allowable Gear – No person shall harvest shrimp in the nearshore and inshore Florida waters of the region as a food shrimp producer with any type of gear other than:
(a) A roller frame trawl meeting the following specifications:
1. Neither the upper nor lower horizontal beam on a roller frame trawl so used is greater than 16 feet in length.
2. The vertical bars shielding the trawl opening are spaced no further than 3 inches apart.
3. No more than two such trawls, unconnected, shall be towed by a single vessel at any time.
4. The netting of the trawl shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
(b) An otter trawl meeting any one of the following specifications:
1. Except in Tampa Bay, in all waters of the region landward of the territorial sea base line, a single otter trawl with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
2. In all waters of the region between the territorial sea base line and a line three miles seaward of and parallel to said line, no more than two unconnected otter trawls, each with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C. The two otter trawls allowed in these waters shall include any try net being towed.
3. In Tampa Bay, no more than two unconnected otter trawls, each with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C. The two otter trawls allowed in Tampa Bay shall include any try net being towed.
(2) No trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the inshore waters of the Southwest Region that has a mesh size less than 7/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the cod end. In any trawl with a rigid turtle excluder device (TED), the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than 5/8 inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length.
(3) No otter trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the Southwest Region that is not in compliance with Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.004
(4) In the Southwest Region, no person harvesting shrimp as a food shrimp producer shall operate or fish any otter trawl, or possess any otter trawl that is rigged for fishing aboard any vessel, which trawl does not have a bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed therein meeting the requirements of Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.0045
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-92, Amended 1-1-96, 8-17-98, Formerly 46-31.012.
(1) Allowable Gear – No person shall harvest shrimp in the nearshore and inshore Florida waters of the region as a food shrimp producer with any type of gear other than:
(a) A roller frame trawl meeting the following specifications:
1. Neither the upper nor lower horizontal beam on a roller frame trawl so used is greater than 16 feet in length.
2. The vertical bars shielding the trawl opening are spaced no further than 3 inches apart.
3. No more than two such trawls, unconnected, shall be towed by a single vessel at any time.
4. The netting of the trawl shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
(b) An otter trawl meeting any one of the following specifications:
1. Except in Tampa Bay, in all waters of the region landward of the territorial sea base line, a single otter trawl with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
2. In all waters of the region between the territorial sea base line and a line three miles seaward of and parallel to said line, no more than two unconnected otter trawls, each with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C. The two otter trawls allowed in these waters shall include any try net being towed.
3. In Tampa Bay, no more than two unconnected otter trawls, each with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a mesh area no larger than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C. The two otter trawls allowed in Tampa Bay shall include any try net being towed.
(2) No trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the inshore waters of the Southwest Region that has a mesh size less than 7/8 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and 3/4 inch bar measurement in the cod end. In any trawl with a rigid turtle excluder device (TED), the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than 5/8 inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length.
(3) No otter trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the Southwest Region that is not in compliance with Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.004
(4) In the Southwest Region, no person harvesting shrimp as a food shrimp producer shall operate or fish any otter trawl, or possess any otter trawl that is rigged for fishing aboard any vessel, which trawl does not have a bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed therein meeting the requirements of Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.0045
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-92, Amended 1-1-96, 8-17-98, Formerly 46-31.012.