[nunch]

The following are summarized recreational harvesting regulations for popular tropical-ornamental aquarium species.

License Requirement: A Florida recreational saltwater fishing license (resident or non-resident, whichever is applicable).

Closed Seasons: None.

Closed Areas: The harvest of these species is generally allowed wherever recreational fishing is allowed. However, the harvest of marine life species or the use of the gear allowed to take these species may be limited or prohibited in state or federal parks, national wildlife refuges, and portions of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Interested persons should contact those park areas for further information.

Prohibited Species: All harvest is prohibited of the following species:
Live rock, Bahama starfish (Oreaster reticulatis), longspine urchin (Diadema antillarum), Venus sea fan (Gorgonia flabellum), common sea fan (Gorgonia ventalina), any hard or stony coral (Order Scleractinia), or any fire coral (Genus Millepora).

Allowable Harvesting Gear:

Hand Collection.
"Hand held net," means a landing or dip net, except that a portion of the bag may be constructed of clear plastic material, rather than mesh.

"Barrier net," also known as a "fence net," means a seine used beneath the surface of the water by a diver to enclose and concentrate tropical fish and which may be made of either nylon or monofilament.

"Drop net," means a small, usually circular, net with weights attached along the outer edge and a single float in the center, used by a diver to enclose and concentrate tropical fish.

"Slurp gun" means a self-contained, handheld device that captures tropical fish by rapidly drawing seawater containing such fish into a closed chamber.

Size Limits:



NAME MIN. SIZE LIMIT MAX. SIZE LIMIT
Gray angelfish 1½ 8”
French angelfish 1½ 8”
Blue angelfish 1¾ 8”
Queen angelfish 1¾ 8”
Rock beauty angelfish 2 5”
Butterflyfishes 1 4”
Gobies None 2”
Jawfishes None 4”
Porkfish 1 ½” None
Spanish hogfish 2” 8”
Cuban (spotfin) hogfish 3” 8”

Bag Limit: Aggregate bag limit of 20 species (in any combination), of the species included in the Marine Life rule as listed below. Of those 20 species, no more than 5 may be angelfish, and no more than 6 may be colonies of octocorals (each colony or part thereof is included in the aggregate bag limit). The bag limit for plants listed in this rule is 1 gallon.

Species included in this rule are as follows:

FISH

Moray eels - Any species of the Family Muraenidae.
Snake eels - Any species of the Genera Myrichthys and Myrophis of the Family
Ophichthidae.
Toadfish - Any species of the Family Batrachoididae.
Frogfish - Any species of the Family Antennariidae.
Batfish - Any species of the Family Ogcocephalidae.
Clingfish - Any species of the Family Gobiesocidae.
Trumpetfish - Any species of the Family Aulostomidae.
Cornetfish - Any species of the Family Fistulariidae.
Pipefish/seahorses - Any species of the Family Syngnathidae.
Hamlet/seabass - Any species of the Family Serranidae, except groupers of the
genera Epinephalus and Mycteroperca, and seabass of the genus
Centropristis.
Basslets - Any species of the Family Grammistidae.
Cardinalfish - Any species of the Family Apogonidae.
Porkfish - Anisotremus virginicus.
High-hat, Jackknife-fish, Spotted drum, Cubbyu - Any species of the genus Equetus
of the Family Sciaenidae.
Reef Croakers - Any of the species Odontocion dentex.
Sweepers - Any species of the Family Pempherididae.
Butterflyfish - Any species of the Family Chaetodontidae.
Angelfish - Any species of the Family Pomacanthidae.
Damselfish - Any species of the Family Pomacentridae.
Hawkfish - Any species of the Family Cirrhitidae.
Wrasse/hogfish/razorfish - Any species of the Family Labridae, except hogfish,
Lachnolaimus maximus.
Parrotfish - Any species of the Family Scaridae.
Jawfish - Any species of the Family Opistognathidae.
Blennies - Any species of the Families Clinidae or Blenniidae.
Sleepers - Any species of the Family Eleotrididae.
Gobies - Any species of the Family Gobiidae.
Tangs and surgeonfish - Any species of the Family Acanthuridae.
Filefish/triggerfish - Any species of the Family Balistidae, except gray triggerfish,
Balistes capriscus and ocean triggerfish, Canthidermis sufflamen.
Trunkfish/cowfish - Any species of the Family Ostraciidae.
Balloonfish - Diodon holocanthus.
Sharpnose puffer - Canthigaster rostrata.
Striped burrfish - Chilomycterus schoepfi.

INVERTEBRATES

Sponges - Any species of the Class Demospongia, except sheepswool, yellow,
grass, glove, finger, wire, reef, and velvet sponges, Order Dictyoceratida.
Upside-down jellyfish - Any species of the Genus Cassiopeia.
Siphonophores/hydroids - Any species of the Class Hydrozoa, except fire corals,
Order Milleporina.
Soft corals - Any species of the Subclass Octocorallia, except sea fans Gorgonia
flabellum and Gorgonia ventalina.
Sea anemones - Any species of the Orders Actinaria, Zoanthidea, Corallimorpharia,
and Ceriantharia.
Featherduster worms/calcareous tubeworms - Any species of the Families
Sabellidae and Serpulidae.
Starsnails - Any of the species Lithopoma americanum or Australium phoebium.
Nudibranchs/sea slugs - Any species of the Subclass Opisthobranchia.
Fileclams - Any species of the Genus Lima.
Octopods - Any species of the Order Octopoda, except the common octopus,
Octopodus vulgaris.
Cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp - Any species of the Genera Periclimenes or
Lysmata.
Coral shrimp - Any species of the Genus Stenopus.
Snapping shrimp - Any species of the Genus Alpheus.
Yellowline arrow crab - Stenorhynchus seticornis.
Furcate spider or decorator crab - Stenocionops furcatus.
Blue-legged or tricolor hermit crab - Clibanarius tricolor.
Thinstripe hermit crab - Clibanarius vittatus.
Polkadotted hermit crab - Phimochirus operculatus.
Spotted porcelain crab - Porcellana sayana.
Nimble spray or urchin crab - Percnon gibbesi.
False arrow crab - Metoporhaphis calcarata.
Starfish - Any species of the Class Asteroidea, except the Bahama starfish, Oreaster
reticulatus.
Brittlestars - Any species of the Class Ophiuroidea.
Sea urchins - Any species of the Class Echinoidea, except longspine urchin,
Diadema antillarum, and sand dollars and sea biscuits, Order Clypeasteroida.
Sea cucumbers - Any species of the Class Holothuroidea.
Sea lilies - Any species of the Class Crinoidea.

PLANTS

Caulerpa - Any species of the Family Caulerpaceae.
Halimeda/mermaid’s fan/mermaid’s shaving brush - Any species of the Family
Halimedaceae.
Coralline red algae - Any species of the Family Corallinaceae
RECREATIONAL HARVESTING INFORMATION FOR MARINE LIFE SPECIES

[hosser]

Just for those who arent from around here in Florida, ALOT of these species are very easy to find not too far out from major touristy parts. A decent charter out about 15-20 miles yields alot of specimen offerings. I recently got back from a scouting trip for a couple reef ledges about 17 miles out and there was so much. I recommend though making sure you KNOW which things are legal to take. The Florida fish and game doesnt mess around

[nunch]

Down here you don't have to go that far at all. I caught this one about 20 yards off the beach in Boca.

but hosser's right about FWC not playing around, don't get caught w/ nothing you shouldn't have.

[NOSAJ214]

YES>DONT GET CAUGHT.lots of great stuff you can take here,but most peoples first idea is to go snorkel up some rock.Big NO NO.Heavy penaltys and fines,and in some cases jail time.They dont play,but then again,you thats IF you get caught.And nice catch,where was it,near Boca inlet or beach.

[Dr. Clyde]

what is a non resident permit going for? For a weekend or something?

[nunch]

Originally Posted by NOSAJ214

YES>DONT GET CAUGHT.lots of great stuff you can take here,but most peoples first idea is to go snorkel up some rock.Big NO NO.Heavy penaltys and fines,and in some cases jail time.They dont play,but then again,you thats IF you get caught.And nice catch,where was it,near Boca inlet or beach.

Thanks, Red Reef Park, Palmetto Park Rd East to A1A a block North. There's a bunch of nice rock clusters. not much in way of corals but lots of fish. the coraline on these rocks is insane, bright yellow and orange.

[nunch]

Originally Posted by Dr. Clyde

what is a non resident permit going for? For a weekend or something?

SALTWATER FISHING

Resident Saltwater Fishing Licenses

Annual
Five-Year

Gold Sportsman's License (includes Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses; and Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey and Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster Permits)
$100.00

Military Gold Sportsman's License (includes Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses; and Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey and Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster Permits) (sold only at tax collector's office)
$20.00

Annual Saltwater Fishing
$17.00
$79.00

Saltwater/Freshwater Fishing Combo
$32.50

Saltwater/Freshwater Fishing/Hunting Combo
$48.00


Nonresident Saltwater Fishing Licenses


Nonresident Annual Saltwater Fishing
$47.00

Nonresident 3-Day Saltwater Fishing
$17.00

Nonresident 7-Day Saltwater Fishing
$30.00


Saltwater Fishing Permits (Resident and Nonresident)
If you are not required to buy a license, you are not required to buy permits (except tarpon)

Annual
Five-Year
Residents Only
Snook Permit
$2.00
$10.00

Lobster Permit
$2.00
$10.00

Tarpon Tag
$51.50


LICENSE AND PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

[palmbeach2210]

Not sure if anyone has checked it out or not, but I get some polyps and few small items from the Lake Worth pier where it has been damaged from Hurricanes. The broken pieces have started a nice artificial reef there. Just don't take all my polyps!