[ianizaguirre]

Where is it legal to scuba dive or snorkel and take coral in the world . i live in miami and i want to scuba dive somewhere near or somewhere where i can go sometime and just snorkel and take Some corals back with me ???? so ant places you know about ?? what about keywest ?

[Hosser]

Ian to answer your question google florida recreational fishing liscense, in ther eyou will find a link to a liscense allowing you to take numerous corals, fish inverts etc.(there is a list at the site) Key West is a NO! , its protected and I think they will shoot you on sight haha. I suggest going along the coastline and out a couple hundred yards or so (which is where I tend to find stuff) there are plenty of non-reef reefs, bundles of rock with livestock on it, manmade reefs. Live rock is a NO! but just check the Florida wildlife game and fish area and you will find alot of info

[ianizaguirre]

thanks alot but its funny that we cant take live "rock" but we can take coral ????

[Hosser]

Reason being is because live rock in the ocean is not as quickly replenished as corals. You cant take ALL corals its only some, as you yourself probably see how quick corals grow in your own tank.....try and grow a rock in there IT wont happen, replenishable,non endangered, quickly growing corals are able to be take OFF (as in not on a) reef. Corals grow in many places not just on reefs. There is an old abondoned fort at Eggmont Island near me and corals are all over the old pylons. Good luck though Ian let us know if you find anything.

[ianizaguirre]

hahaha i dont think i will find anything cause i cant find the liccense you need for corals on that website you gave me lol
( theres alot of info. there )

[Hosser]

Here ya go Ian RECREATIONAL HARVESTING INFORMATION FOR MARINE LIFE SPECIES

[ianizaguirre]

lol thanks for the help hooser

[Amphibious]

Originally Posted by ianizaguirre

thanks alot but its funny that we cant take live "rock" but we can take coral ????

If you read the regulations you will find the following statement:

Originally Posted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission

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).

You are not allowed to collect any corals in Florida waters. If you think this hobby is expensive, get caught with a native Florida coral.

I have a friend that is curator of a Florida public aquarium. He is a Marine Biologist and has the proper license for keeping Florida coral in captivity. He has a beautiful Florida Acropora, an Elk Horn, growing like crazy. He has to give, or sell it, to licensed researchers only. He'd love to give me a piece, and I'd love to have a piece but, he can't and reluctantly I can't own a piece.

Don't collect a piece of live coral, it isn't worth it. Claiming ignorance of the law (stupidity) doesn't work.

Dick

[Hosser]

That statement is only true of the listed corals. As long as you have the proper collection license there is a huge list of things you CAN capture and keep, including corals. I will find the link and repost it.

[ianizaguirre]

ooo ok dont worry i am only paying for my corals

[Amphibious]

Being wrong on this, and getting caught, would be foolish and costly!

Utilizing a Florida Recreational Saltwater Fishing License you cannot collect any Hard corals. Here's the link to that quote I posted above - RECREATIONAL HARVESTING INFORMATION FOR MARINE LIFE SPECIES

Here is a quote from the FL Regs:

ORNAMENTAL TROPICAL FISH AND PLANTS
MINIMUM SIZE LIMIT (Total length) Spanish Hogfish 2” Spotfin Hogfish 3” Porkfish 1½”
MAXIMUM SIZE LIMIT (Total length) Angelfish (except Rock Beauty) 8” Butterflyfish, Jawfish 4” Rock Beauty 5” Gobies 2” Spanish Hogfish 8” Spotfin Hogfish 8”
BAG LIMIT Fishes / Invertebrates: 20 per person per day. No more than 5 Angelfish and no more than 6 Octocoral colonies PLANTS: 1 gallon per person per day
Live landing and live well requirements. Harvest in Biscayne National Park & John Pennekamp State Park prohibited.

And one other quote from the FL Regs:

PROHIBITED SPECIES
It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell, or exchange the following species:
Nassau Grouper, Goliath Grouper (Jewfish), Sawfish, Atlantic Angel Shark, Bigeye Sixgill Shark, Bigeye Thresher Shark, Bignose Shark, Caribbean Reef Shark, Dusky, Galapagos Shark, Longfin Mako Shark, Narrowtooth Shark, Night Shark, Puffer fish (harvest pro-
hibited in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties), Sevengill Shark, Sixgill Shark, Smalltail Shark, Basking Shark, Whale Shark, Spotted Eagle Ray, Sturgeon, White Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Manta Ray, Spiny Dogfish,
Longspine Urchin, Stony, Hard and Fire Corals, Sea Fans, Florida Queen Conch and Bahama Starfish. Harvest of live rock in state waters is prohibited.

Here is the link to the FL Regs:

July2008RegsChart

Scroll to the bottom.

To collect Restricted Species in FL you need additional licenses (2, I believe) A Restricted Species license and a Commercial Saltwater Fishing license. I have been researching this in depth. If you find differently, I'd appreciate links to the information. It would make life a lot easier.

Dick

[Amphibious]

Originally Posted by ianizaguirre

ooo ok dont worry i am only paying for my corals

Probably a wise decision. On the other hand, with a recreational SW license you will see, if you read the above, there are neat things you can collect.

Dick

[Hosser]

The link I posted above is same as always, stautes the same, very few soft corals CANT be collected with the majority being able to, same with fish. Hard corals are a differant story because they are what makes up the reef not just rocks. Thats the reason you cant collect rocks same as hard corals.
Now for those intrested you CANT collect anything rom Florida Reefs, that being said dont think that corals only grow on reefs because they can be found many many places.
A reef is a collection of these that is a world of its own and one that is deteriorating quicker then it can be restored.
Collect responsibly, legally and safely and you can have a great time doing it. Many local shops in Florida even have dives strictly for capturing fish and corals which patrons and hobbyists the like can join in on. If in doubt dont take it but many many neat things can be succesfully pulled from our local waters and those with corals and fish, Personally I think it would be a safe bet or the ONLY bet you could take other than tank raised fish to know they were captured without harm.

[ianizaguirre]

yea its cool to collect but the lisscense cost money and hooser iv never herd of a dive center organize a collection ?

[Hosser]

I guess you just arent around the same places... a couple stores around me organize collection dives...another reason I need to get certified. Id love to see how to properly get things. Id have to have a bit more guts to pull some of the things this guys pulls up though haha, a 4' moray isnt my idea of a fun excursion haha

[ianizaguirre]

haha yea i am scuba certified but im ny area i am pretty sure they dont do stuff like that i wish they did thats cool