68B-37.004. Regional Recreational Bag Limits; Bag Limit for Captain and Crew on For-hire Trips; Commercial Bag, Vessel, and Landing Limits

(1) Recreational Bag Limits – A recreational harvester may not harvest or land per day from within or without Florida Waters of a region or possess more spotted seatrout within a region than the applicable bag limit established in this subsection for each region: (a) Panhandle Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (b) Big Bend Region – Five (5) spotted seatrout. (c) Tampa Bay Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (d) Sarasota Bay Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (e) Charlotte Harbor Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (f) Southwest Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (g) Southeast Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (h) Indian River Lagoon Region – Two (2) spotted seatrout. (i) Northeast Region – Three (3) spotted seatrout. (2) Captain and Crew Harvest Prohibited – On a vessel for hire, a person who is the captain or a crew member may not harvest or possess a spotted seatrout. (3) Commercial Limits – (a) Bag Limit ‒ A commercial harvester may not harvest or land per day from within or without Florida Waters of a region or possess more spotted seatrout within a region than the applicable bag limit established in this paragraph for each region: 1. Panhandle Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 2. Big Bend Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 3. Tampa Bay Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 4. Sarasota Bay Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 5. Charlotte Harbor Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 6. Southwest Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 7. Southeast Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 8. Indian River Lagoon Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 9. Northeast Region – 50 spotted seatrout. (b) Vessel Limits – 1. Except as provided in subparagraph (3)(b)2., commercial harvesters aboard a vessel may not collectively harvest or land per day from within or without Florida Waters of a region or possess more spotted seatrout within a region than the applicable vessel limit established in this paragraph for each region: a. Panhandle Region – 50 spotted seatrout. b. Big Bend Region – 50 spotted seatrout. c. Tampa Bay Region – 50 spotted seatrout. d. Sarasota Bay Region – 50 spotted seatrout. e. Charlotte Harbor Region – 50 spotted seatrout. f. Southwest Region – 50 spotted seatrout. g. Southeast Region – 50 spotted seatrout. h. Indian River Lagoon Region – 50 spotted seatrout. i. Northeast Region – 50 spotted seatrout. 2. Two or more commercial harvesters aboard a vessel and operating pursuant to two or more valid saltwater products licenses may not collectively harvest or land per day from within or without Florida Waters of a region or possess more spotted seatrout within a region than the applicable vessel limit established in this paragraph for each region This provision will not be construed to authorize harvest or possession of spotted seatrout in excess of the applicable bag or vessel limits. a. Panhandle Region – 100 spotted seatrout. b. Big Bend Region – 100 spotted seatrout. c. Tampa Bay Region – 100 spotted seatrout. d. Sarasota Bay Region – 100 spotted seatrout. e. Charlotte Harbor Region – 100 spotted seatrout. f. Southwest Region – 100 spotted seatrout. g. Southeast Region – 100 spotted seatrout. h. Indian River Lagoon Region – 100 spotted seatrout. i. Northeast Region – 100 spotted seatrout. (c) A person may not tow a vessel in order to exceed the commercial limits established in this subsection. Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 11-1-89, Amended 1-1-96, 8-1-96, Formerly 46-37.004, Amended 7-1-00, 2-1-12, 9-1-13, 2-26-20, 4-1-26.