(1) REVIEW PROCESS.
    (a) A SAL application will be reviewed and approved by the Directors of the Marine Fisheries and Law Enforcement sections of the Commission, or their designated representatives.
    (b) In addition, a SAL application may be reviewed by individuals outside of the SAL program that possess the biological, technical, regulatory, and enforcement expertise necessary to appropriately evaluate a requested activity.
    (2) EVALUATION CRITERIA. The Commission will review an application and grant or deny a SAL based on the following criteria:
    (a) Eligibility of the applicant.
    (b) Completeness of information submitted to the Commission through the application process.
    (c) Consistency of the requested activities with the license type requested.
    (d) Degree of compliance with the terms and conditions set forth by a SAL previously issued to the applicant.
    (e) Potential impacts of the type, size, and method of harvesting gear requested for use.
    (f) Biological status of the species requested, based on the best available information. In the absence of stock assessments, the Commission will take a risk-averse approach and maintain minimal harvest levels until such time as the information is available to further evaluate the status of the species.
    (g) Life history strategies, genetic structure, and ecology of the targeted species.
    (h) Degree of variation from management regulations.
    (i) The extent of the requested harvest beyond the known total annual commercial and recreational harvest of the stock.
    (j) Established harvest quotas for the species requested.
    (k) Locations of proposed harvest activities and facilities.
    (l) Intensity of localized harvest and harvest frequency.
    (m) Any additional evaluation criteria specific to the SAL applied for, as established by this chapter.
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 7-1-04.