The Florida Senate

¹370.153  Regulation of shrimp fishing; Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam, Flagler, and St. Johns Counties.--

(1)  DEFINITIONS.--When used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a)  "Inland waters" means all creeks, rivers, bayous, bays, inlets, and canals.

(b)  "Sample" means one or more shrimp taken from an accurately defined part of the area defined.

(c)  "Series" means 10 or more samples taken within a period of not more than 1 week, each sample being taken at a different station within the pattern.

(d)  "Pattern" means 10 or more stations.

(e)  "Station" means a single location on the water of the areas defined.

(f)  "Licensed live bait shrimp producer" means any individual licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection to employ the use of any trawl for the taking of live bait shrimp within the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay Counties.

(g)  "Licensed dead shrimp producer" means any individual licensed by the Department of Environmental Protection to employ the use of any trawl for the taking of shrimp within the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay Counties.

(2)  SHRIMPING PROHIBITED.--It is unlawful to employ the use of any trawl or other net, except a common cast net, designed for or capable of taking shrimp, within the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay Counties, except as hereinafter provided.

(3)  LIVE BAIT SHRIMP PRODUCTION.--

(a)  A live bait shrimp production license shall be issued by the Department of Environmental Protection upon the receipt of an application by a person intending to use a boat, not to exceed 35 feet in length in Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, and Clay Counties and not to exceed 45 feet in length in Nassau County, for live shrimp production within the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, or Clay Counties and the payment of a fee of $250. The annual fee of $250 shall be collected by the department for the issuance of the license during a 60-day period beginning June 1 of each year. The design of the application and permit shall be determined by the department. The proceeds of the fee imposed by this paragraph shall be used by the Department of Environmental Protection for the purposes of enforcement of marine resource laws.

(b)  The Secretary of Environmental Protection, or his or her designated representative, may by order close certain areas to live bait shrimp production when sampling procedures justify the closing based upon sound conservation practices. The revocation of any order to close has the effect of opening the area.

(c)  Every live bait shrimp producer shall produce evidence satisfactory to the department that he or she has the necessary equipment to maintain the shrimp alive while aboard the shrimp fishing vessel. All vessels fishing for live bait shrimp must be equipped with live bait shrimp tanks of a type and capacity satisfactory to the department, and no more than 5 pounds of dead shrimp will be allowed on board such vessel per day.

(d)

1.  Each licensed live bait shrimp producer who stores his or her catch for sale or sells his or her catch shall either:

a.  Maintain onshore facilities which have been annually checked and approved by the local Marine Patrol office to assure the facilities' ability to maintain the catch alive when the live bait shrimp producer produces for his or her own facility; or

b.  Sell his or her catch only to persons who have onshore facilities which have been annually checked and approved by the local Marine Patrol office to assure the facilities' ability to maintain the catch alive, when the producer sells his or her catch to an onshore facility. The producer shall provide the Department of Environmental Protection with the wholesale number of the facility to which the shrimp have been sold and shall submit this number on a form designed and approved by the department.

2.  All persons who maintain onshore facilities as described in this paragraph, whether the facilities are maintained by the licensed live bait shrimp producer or by another party who purchases shrimp from live bait shrimp producers, shall keep records of their transactions in conformance with the provisions of s. 370.07(6).

(e)  All commercial trawling in Clay, Duval, and St. Johns Counties shall be restricted to the inland waters of the St. Johns River proper in the area north of the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville and at least 100 yards from the nearest shoreline.

(f)  A live shrimp producer must also be a licensed wholesale dealer. Such person shall not sell live bait shrimp unless he or she produces a live bait shrimp production license at the time of sale.

(g)  The department shall rename the Live Bait Shrimp Production License as the Commercial Live Shrimp Production License.

(4)  DEAD SHRIMP PRODUCTION.--Any person may operate as a commercial dead shrimp producer provided that:

(a)  A dead shrimp production permit is procured from the Department of Environmental Protection upon the receipt by the department of a properly filled out and approved application by a person intending to use a boat, not to exceed 35 feet in length in Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, and Clay Counties, and not to exceed 45 feet in length in Nassau County, for dead shrimp production within the inland waters of Nassau County and the inland waters of the St. Johns River of Duval, Putnam, St. Johns, Flagler, or Clay Counties, which permit shall cost $250 and shall be required for each vessel used for dead shrimp production. The design of the application and permit shall be determined by the Department of Environmental Protection. The proceeds of the fees imposed by this paragraph shall be deposited into the account of the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund to be used by the department for the purpose of enforcement of marine resource laws.

(b)  All commercial trawling in the St. Johns River proper shall be restricted to the area north of the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville and at least 100 yards from the nearest shoreline.

(c)  No person may use any trawl exceeding 35 feet in length or less than a 11/2-inch stretch mesh with a 10-pound pull. Length measurement shall be made from the point where the webbing is hung on the corkline at one end of the net to the point where the webbing is hung on the corkline at the opposite end of the net.

(d)  No person may use any tickler chain.

(e)  The Department of Environmental Protection may, by rule, place additional restrictions upon the types of equipment to be used by dead shrimp producers.

(f)  All commercial shrimping activities shall be allowed during daylight hours from Tuesday through Friday each week.

(g)  No person holding a dead shrimp production permit issued pursuant to this subsection shall simultaneously hold a permit for noncommercial trawling under the provisions of subsection (5). The number of permits issued by the department for commercial trawling or dead shrimp production in any one year shall be the number issued in the base year, 1976. All permits shall be inheritable or transferable to an immediate family member and annually renewable by the holder thereof. Such inheritance or transfer shall be valid upon being registered with the department. All permits not renewed shall expire and shall not be renewed under any circumstances.

(h)  It is illegal for any person to sell dead shrimp caught in the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, Clay, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties, unless the seller is in possession of a dead shrimp production license issued pursuant to this subsection.

(i)  It is illegal for any person to purchase shrimp for consumption or bait from any seller (with respect to shrimp caught in the inland waters of Nassau, Duval, Clay, Putnam, and St. Johns Counties (St. Johns River)) who does not produce his or her dead shrimp production license prior to the sale of the shrimp.

(j)  In addition to any other penalties provided for in this section, any person who violates the provisions of this subsection shall have his or her license revoked by the department.

(k)  The department shall rename the Dead Shrimp Production License as the Commercial Food Shrimp Production License.

(5)  NONCOMMERCIAL TRAWLING.--Any person may harvest shrimp in the St. Johns River for his or her own use as food and may trawl for such shrimp under the following conditions:

(a)  Each person who desires to trawl for shrimp for use as food shall obtain a noncommercial trawling permit from the local Marine Patrol office of the Department of Environmental Protection upon filling out an application on a form prescribed by the department and upon paying a fee for the permit, which shall cost $50.

(b)  Each trawl used for noncommercial trawling shall measure not more than 15 feet from the point where the webbing is hung on the corkline at one end of the net to the point where the webbing is hung on the corkline at the opposite end of the net, and the nets shall be no less than 11/2 inches stretch mesh. Only one trawl shall be pulled at a time.

(c)  All trawling shall be restricted to the confines of the St. Johns River proper in the area north of the Acosta Bridge in Jacksonville and at least 100 yards from the nearest shoreline.

(d)  Trawling shall be allowed only during daylight hours on Saturdays and Sundays, and at no time shall any person or boat possess more than 50 pounds of shrimp while on the water.

(e)  No shrimp caught by a person licensed under the provisions of this subsection may be sold or offered for sale.

(6)  SAMPLING PROCEDURE.--

(a)  The Secretary of Environmental Protection shall have samples taken at established stations within patterns at frequent intervals.

(b)  No area may be closed to live bait shrimp production unless a series of samples has been taken and it has been determined that the shrimp are undersized or that continued shrimping in this area would have an adverse effect on conservation. Standards for size may be established by rule of the department.

(c)  No area may be opened to dead shrimp production unless a series of samples has been taken and it has been determined that the shrimp are of legal size. Legal-sized shrimp shall be defined as not more than 47 shrimp with heads on, or 70 shrimp with heads off, per pound.

(7)  LICENSE POSSESSION.--The operator of a boat employing the use of any trawl for shrimp production must be in possession of a current shrimp production license issued to him or her pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(8)  USE OF TRAWL; LIMITATION.--

(a)  The use of a trawl by either a live bait shrimp producer or dead shrimp producer shall be limited to the daylight hours, and the taking of dead shrimp shall not take place on Saturdays, Sundays, or legal state holidays.

(b)  The use of a trawl by either a live bait shrimp producer or dead shrimp producer within 100 yards of any shoreline is prohibited. The Department of Environmental Protection, by rule or order, may define the area or areas where this subsection shall apply.

(c)

1.  It is unlawful to employ the use of any trawl designed for, or capable of, taking shrimp within 1/4 mile of any natural or manmade inlet in Duval County or St. Johns County.

2.  It is unlawful for anyone to trawl in the Trout River west of the bridge on U.S. 17 in Duval County.

(9)  ST. JOHNS RIVER; RULEMAKING PROHIBITED.--The Department of Environmental Protection may not adopt any rule which regulates shrimping in the St. Johns River.

(10)  CREDITS.--Fees paid pursuant to paragraphs (3)(a) and (4)(a) of this section shall be credited against the saltwater products license fee.

History.--ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ch. 71-460; ss. 1, 2, ch. 72-116; s. 1, ch. 73-150; ss. 1, 2, ch. 74-140; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 1, ch. 77-186; s. 80, ch. 79-164; s. 8, ch. 83-134; s. 1, ch. 83-295; s. 2, ch. 84-121; s. 1, ch. 85-163; ss. 16, 17, ch. 85-234; s. 1, ch. 87-201; ss. 3, 6, ch. 88-412; ss. 6, 12, ch. 89-98; s. 7, ch. 90-310; s. 231, ch. 94-356; s. 995, ch. 95-148; s. 13, ch. 95-414; s. 35, ch. 96-321; s. 45, ch. 97-96.

¹Note.--Section 8, ch. 83-134, as amended by s. 2, ch. 84-121, and by s. 1, ch. 85-163, repealed then-existing subsections (1), (2), and (4)-(9), and paragraphs (3)(b)-(f), effective July 1, 1986, and further provided that if the Governor and Cabinet had not adopted appropriate rules by July 1, 1986, they would remain in force until such rules were effective. Section 9, ch. 83-134, provided that, prior to the adoption of rules amending, readopting, or repealing those provisions set forth in s. 8, the Marine Fisheries Commission would hold a public hearing thereon, and no such amendment, readoption, or repeal would be acted upon until it had been determined, based upon appropriate findings of fact, that such action would not adversely affect the resource.