5
Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations
COMMERCIAL SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Commercial Saltwater
Fishing Regulations
These rules apply in state waters extending
nine nautical miles off the Gulf coast and
three nautical miles off the Atlantic coast.
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
rules may also include federal waters. The
FWC is charged with establishing marine
fisheries rules in Chapters 68B and 68E,
Florida Administrative Code. License fees
and penalties for fisheries violations rules and
regulations in Chapter 379, Florida Statutes,
are enacted by the Legislature. The official
FWC marine fisheries regulations can be found
at: myfwc.com. The FWC Division of Law
Enforcement enforces fisheries laws in both
state and federal waters.
Additional Regulations
A state may regulate vessels that are
registered in that state and fishing in
federal waters for species for which there
are no federal fishery management plans or
applicable federal regulations, or for which
the appropriate fishery management plan
has delegated management of the state and
the state rules are consistent with federal
regulations. NOTE: Federally permitted forhire reef fish vessels must comply with the
more restrictive of federal or state reef fish
regulations when fishing for reef fish in state
waters. A Saltwater Products License (SPL)
is required to commercially harvest or sell all
saltwater products. An SPL may be issued
in the name of an individual or a valid boat
registration number issued in the name of the
license applicant. Any vessel used to harvest
commercial quantities of saltwater products
must have a commercial vessel registration.
Such license is not transferable if the vessel
is sold.
A saltwater product is any marine fish, marine
invertebrate or marine plant, except non-living
shells and salted, cured, canned, or smoked
seafood. Harvest over the recreational bag
limit, use of certain gear as required by law,
or possession of more than 100 lbs. per person
per day of species with no established bag limit
is considered commercial harvest. Possession
of two or fewer fish with no established bag
limit is not considered commercial harvest.
A Restricted Species Endorsement (RS) is
required to commercially harvest and sell
the following species: Spanish Mackerel,
King Mackerel, Black Drum, Spotted Sea
Trout, Grouper, Snapper, Red Porgy, Gray
Triggerfish, Amberjack, Sea Bass, Tropical/
Ornamental “Marine Life”, Black Mullet,
Silver Mullet, Bluefish, Hogfish, Blue
Crab, Stone Crab, Crawfish/Spiny Lobster,
African Pompano, Florida Pompano, Permit,
Sheepshead, Tripletail, Clams (Brevard
County only), Shrimp, Flounder, Cobia, Wahoo
and Dolphin. Additional species may be
designated as restricted by the Commission
at any time. Licensed commercial fishermen
must show proof of income in the form of trip
tickets or out-of-state landings reported under
their license (along with a copy of the out
of state license) to qualify for the RS. Sales
reported under a retail dealer’s license cannot
be used to qualify for the RS. Additional
qualification criteria or exemptions to the
income requirements may apply for first-time
applicants.
Sale and Reporting Requirements for
Saltwater Products
A wholesale dealer’s license is required to
purchase saltwater products from a producer
and sell products to retail dealers or other
wholesale dealers. A retail dealer’s license is
required to purchase saltwater products from
a wholesale dealer and sell to the consumer
unless licensed by the Division of Hotels and
Restaurants. A wholesale dealer’s license is
not required for products entering the state
through interstate or international commerce
as long as the products are continuously
bonded during transit through the state.
Wholesale dealers are responsible for reporting
all purchases from a producer to
the commission.
It is unlawful for any unlicensed person to
purchase or sell saltwater products. Penalties
for unlicensed sale include criminal and civil
fines of up to $5,000, permanent revocation
of license privileges, and imprisonment in
addition to penalties levied by the court.
Additional penalties for unlicensed sale by
a person whose fishing privileges have been
revoked or suspended include forfeiture of
property involved in the offense.
Dealers are required to confirm that potential
sellers hold all of the required licenses prior to
purchasing any saltwater product. All dealers
must report products when landed for the first
time to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research
Institute (FWRI) Trip Ticket Reporting Office.
Wholesale and retail dealers who harvest their
own products under an SPL must also submit
trip tickets.
Commercial fishermen can only sell their catch
to a licensed wholesale dealer. Fishermen
are strongly advised to always obtain and
retain copies of their trip tickets and to
compare them with their landings summaries
produced by the FWRI on an annual basis.
For reporting or landings information contact
the FWC FWRI Trip Ticket Office at (727)
896-8626.
DID YOU
KNOW...
■■
■ A federal dealer permit is required
for a dealer to receive Gulf reef
fish harvested from federal waters
of the Gulf of Mexico� A Gulf
IFQ dealer endorsement is also
required� Call 1-866-425-7627 for
more information
■■
■ Food fish may not be taken for the
purpose of making oil, fertilizer or
compost�
■■
■ Hook and line gear must be
tended at all times� Possession of
longline gear (a line or a series of
connected lines with more than 10
hooks) is prohibited in state waters
except for persons in continuous
transit across state waters to or
from federal waters�
■■
■ Use of firearms or explosives for
harvest is prohibited� Harvest with
or possession of fish harvested
with a powerhead or bangstick
is prohibited in state waters�
Powerheads may be used for
personal protection only� Use
of a rebreather to harvest any
marine species is prohibited� Use
of a rebreather is allowed for
nonconsumptive purposes only�
Simultaneous possession of a
rebreather and fish is prohibited,
except for persons in continuous
transit from federal waters�
■■
■ Vessel monitoring systems are
required onboard all vessels with
federal commercial permits for
Gulf reef fish, including charter
vessels/ headboats that also have
a commercial reef fish permit�
?
20
Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations
COMMERCIAL SALTWATER FISHING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Commercial Saltwater
Fishing Regulations
These rules apply in state waters extending
nine nautical miles off the Gulf coast and
three nautical miles off the Atlantic coast.
Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
rules may also include federal waters. The
FWC is charged with establishing marine
fisheries rules in Chapters 68B and 68E,
Florida Administrative Code. License fees
and penalties for fisheries violations rules and
regulations in Chapter 379, Florida Statutes,
are enacted by the Legislature. The official
FWC marine fisheries regulations can be found
at: myfwc.com. The FWC Division of Law
Enforcement enforces fisheries laws in both
state and federal waters.
Additional Regulations
A state may regulate vessels that are
registered in that state and fishing in
federal waters for species for which there
are no federal fishery management plans or
applicable federal regulations, or for which
the appropriate fishery management plan
has delegated management of the state and
the state rules are consistent with federal
regulations. NOTE: Federally permitted forhire reef fish vessels must comply with the
more restrictive of federal or state reef fish
regulations when fishing for reef fish in state
waters. A Saltwater Products License (SPL)
is required to commercially harvest or sell all
saltwater products. An SPL may be issued
in the name of an individual or a valid boat
registration number issued in the name of the
license applicant. Any vessel used to harvest
commercial quantities of saltwater products
must have a commercial vessel registration.
Such license is not transferable if the vessel
is sold.
A saltwater product is any marine fish, marine
invertebrate or marine plant, except non-living
shells and salted, cured, canned, or smoked
seafood. Harvest over the recreational bag
limit, use of certain gear as required by law,
or possession of more than 100 lbs. per person
per day of species with no established bag limit
is considered commercial harvest. Possession
of two or fewer fish with no established bag
limit is not considered commercial harvest.
A Restricted Species Endorsement (RS) is
required to commercially harvest and sell
the following species: Spanish Mackerel,
King Mackerel, Black Drum, Spotted Sea
Trout, Grouper, Snapper, Red Porgy, Gray
Triggerfish, Amberjack, Sea Bass, Tropical/
Ornamental “Marine Life”, Black Mullet,
Silver Mullet, Bluefish, Hogfish, Blue
Crab, Stone Crab, Crawfish/Spiny Lobster,
African Pompano, Florida Pompano, Permit,
Sheepshead, Tripletail, Clams (Brevard
County only), Shrimp, Flounder, Cobia, Wahoo
and Dolphin. Additional species may be
designated as restricted by the Commission
at any time. Licensed commercial fishermen
must show proof of income in the form of trip
tickets or out-of-state landings reported under
their license (along with a copy of the out
of state license) to qualify for the RS. Sales
reported under a retail dealer’s license cannot
be used to qualify for the RS. Additional
qualification criteria or exemptions to the
income requirements may apply for first-time
applicants.
Sale and Reporting Requirements for
Saltwater Products
A wholesale dealer’s license is required to
purchase saltwater products from a producer
and sell products to retail dealers or other
wholesale dealers. A retail dealer’s license is
required to purchase saltwater products from
a wholesale dealer and sell to the consumer
unless licensed by the Division of Hotels and
Restaurants. A wholesale dealer’s license is
not required for products entering the state
through interstate or international commerce
as long as the products are continuously
bonded during transit through the state.
Wholesale dealers are responsible for reporting
all purchases from a producer to
the commission.
It is unlawful for any unlicensed person to
purchase or sell saltwater products. Penalties
for unlicensed sale include criminal and civil
fines of up to $5,000, permanent revocation
of license privileges, and imprisonment in
addition to penalties levied by the court.
Additional penalties for unlicensed sale by
a person whose fishing privileges have been
revoked or suspended include forfeiture of
property involved in the offense.
Dealers are required to confirm that potential
sellers hold all of the required licenses prior to
purchasing any saltwater product. All dealers
must report products when landed for the first
time to the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research
Institute (FWRI) Trip Ticket Reporting Office.
Wholesale and retail dealers who harvest their
own products under an SPL must also submit
trip tickets.
Commercial fishermen can only sell their catch
to a licensed wholesale dealer. Fishermen
are strongly advised to always obtain and
retain copies of their trip tickets and to
compare them with their landings summaries
produced by the FWRI on an annual basis.
For reporting or landings information contact
the FWC FWRI Trip Ticket Office at (727)
896-8626.
DID YOU
KNOW...
■■
■ A federal dealer permit is required
for a dealer to receive Gulf reef
fish harvested from federal waters
of the Gulf of Mexico� A Gulf
IFQ dealer endorsement is also
required� Call 1-866-425-7627 for
more information
■■
■ Food fish may not be taken for the
purpose of making oil, fertilizer or
compost�
■■
■ Hook and line gear must be
tended at all times� Possession of
longline gear (a line or a series of
connected lines with more than 10
hooks) is prohibited in state waters
except for persons in continuous
transit across state waters to or
from federal waters�
■■
■ Use of firearms or explosives for
harvest is prohibited� Harvest with
or possession of fish harvested
with a powerhead or bangstick
is prohibited in state waters�
Powerheads may be used for
personal protection only� Use
of a rebreather to harvest any
marine species is prohibited� Use
of a rebreather is allowed for
nonconsumptive purposes only�
Simultaneous possession of a
rebreather and fish is prohibited,
except for persons in continuous
transit from federal waters�
■■
■ Vessel monitoring systems are
required onboard all vessels with
federal commercial permits for
Gulf reef fish, including charter
vessels/ headboats that also have
a commercial reef fish permit�
?
20