The Florida Senate

370.071  Shellfish processors; regulation.--

(1)  The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, hereinafter referred to as department, is authorized to adopt by rule regulations, specifications, and codes relating to sanitary practices for catching, cultivating, handling, processing, packaging, preserving, canning, smoking, and storing of oysters, clams, mussels, and crabs. The department is also authorized to license aquaculture facilities used to culture oysters, clams, mussels, and crabs when such activities relate to quality control, sanitary, and public health practices pursuant to this section and s. 370.06(4). The department is also authorized to license or certify facilities used for processing oysters, clams, mussels, and crabs, to suspend or revoke such licenses or certificates upon satisfactory evidence of any violation of rules adopted pursuant to this section, and to seize and destroy any adulterated or misbranded shellfish products as defined by rule.

(2)  A shellfish processing plant certification license is required to operate any facility in which oysters, clams, mussels, or crabs are processed, including but not limited to: an oyster, clam, or mussel cannery; a shell stock dealership; an oyster, clam, or mussel shucking plant; an oyster, clam, or mussel repacking plant; an oyster, clam, or mussel controlled purification plant; or a crab or soft-shell crab processing or shedding plant.

(3)  The department may suspend or revoke any shellfish processing plant certification license upon satisfactory evidence that the licensee has violated any regulation, specification, or code adopted under this section and may seize and destroy any shellfish product which is defined by rule to be an adulterated or misbranded shellfish product.

History.--s. 1, ch. 65-110; ss. 25, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 6, ch. 83-134; s. 2, ch. 84-121; ss. 4, 5, ch. 86-219; ss. 5, 19, ch. 86-240; s. 218, ch. 94-356; s. 13, ch. 96-247; s. 44, ch. 99-245.