Section 68B-50.002 - Tarp Purse Seine Pilot Program for Certain Counties: Baitfish Annual Season Harvest Limits(1) This rule shall govern the harvest of the following baitfish species in the region comprised by Wakulla, Franklin, Gulf, Bay, Okaloosa, and Walton Counties: (a) Anchovy (Family Engraulidae).(b) Blue runner (Caranx crysos).(c) Atlantic thread herring (Opisthonema oglinum).(d) Ladyfish (Elops saurus).(e) Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus).(f) Menhaden (Genus Brevoortia).(g) Spanish sardines (Sardinella aurita).(h) Round scad (Decapterus punctatus).(i) Little tunny (Euthynnus alletteratus).(2)(a) The season for commercial harvest of each of the species listed in subsection (1), in the region shall begin on July 1 of each year and continue through June 30 of the following year, unless closed earlier for a particular species pursuant to paragraph (b), of this subsection.(b) If, during the established season for a species listed in subsection (1), the total harvest of that species in the region is projected to reach the season commercial harvest limit specified in subsection (3), prior to the June 30 close of the season, the season for the species shall be closed on the date that such harvest is projected to reach that limit, by the Executive Director of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission upon notice and in the manner provided in Section 120.81(5), F.S.(3) Annual Commercial Season Harvest Limits for the Region. (a) The annual season commercial harvest limits in the region for the species listed in subsection (1) are as follows: 1. Anchovy - 85, 000 pounds.2. Blue runner - 508, 000 pounds.3. Thread herring - 308, 000 pounds.4. Ladyfish - 2, 088, 000 pounds.5. Chub mackerel - 72, 000 pounds.6. Menhaden - 2, 415, 000 pounds.7. Spanish sardines - 943, 000 pounds.8. Round scad - 999, 000 pounds.9. Little tunny - 392, 000 pounds.(b) The total commercial harvest of any one of these species for the region during a particular season shall consist of those fish commercially harvested by all forms of gear from waters of the counties of the region and adjacent Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters, based on projections from official statistics collected and maintained by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission pursuant to Florida's Marine Fisheries Information System. The count shall begin with those fish commercially harvested on and after July 1 of each year and continue until June 30 of the following year or until the harvest limit prescribed in paragraph (a) of this subsection is reached, whichever occurs first.(c) If the commercial fishing season for any of the species governed by this rule is closed in the region prior to June 30, the commercial harvest of the species affected, in the counties of the region, is prohibited until the following July 1.Fla. Admin. Code Ann. R. 68B-50.002
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const.
New 11-12-97, Formerly 46-50.002.New 11-12-97, Formerly 46-50.002.