Florida Administrative Code › 68 - FISH AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION COMMISSION › 68B - Marine Fisheries › Chapter 68B-46 - HORSESHOE CRABS › Section 68B-46.002 - Horseshoe Crabs Harvest Restrictions: License Requirements, Gear Specifications, Daily Bag and Possession Limits

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1)
				No person shall harvest, possess, or sell any horseshoe crab unless that person
				possesses a valid saltwater products license. Horseshoe crabs shall be
				considered saltwater products for purposes of Section
				379.362, F.S.
(2) The harvest or attempted harvest of any
				horseshoe crab by or with the use of any means or gear other than by hand or
				gig is prohibited.
(3)
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), no
				person shall harvest in any day, within or without the waters of the state,
				land, or possess while in or on the waters of the state more than 25 horseshoe
				crabs. No such person shall possess more than 25 horseshoe crabs while in, on,
				or above the waters of the state or on any dock, pier, bridge, beach, or other
				fishing site adjacent to such waters.
(b)
1. The
				following bag and possession limits apply to a person with a valid saltwater
				products license with a marine life endorsement:
a. No such person shall harvest in any one
				day, within or without the waters of the state, land, or possess while in or on
				the waters of the state more than 100 horseshoe crabs.
b. No such person shall possess more than 100
				horseshoe crabs while in, on, or above the waters of the state or on any dock,
				pier, bridge, beach, or other fishing site adjacent to such
				waters.
2. The following
				bag and possession limits apply to a person with a valid saltwater products
				license and a valid permit to harvest eels commercially in the freshwaters of
				the state:
a. No such person shall harvest in
				any one day, within or without the waters of the state, land, or possess while
				in or on the saltwaters of the state more than 100 horseshoe crabs.
b. No such person shall possess more than 100
				horseshoe crabs while in, on, or above the saltwaters of the state or on any
				dock, pier, bridge, beach, or other fishing site adjacent to such
				waters.
3. The following
				provisions apply to each person collecting horseshoe crabs for biomedical
				purposes:
a. No person shall collect horseshoe
				crabs for biomedical purposes without possessing a valid Horseshoe Crab
				Biomedical Collecting Permit. This is not a harvesting permit, but rather
				allows the holder to temporarily possess horseshoe crabs for the purpose of
				collecting the blood of the animal.
b. Horseshoe crabs collected for biomedical
				purposes shall be handled so as to minimize injury, maintained alive, and
				released alive in the area where collected.
c. Persons possessing a valid Horseshoe Crab
				Biomedical Collecting Permit are exempted from bag and possession limits
				specified in paragraph (a), of this subsection if the horseshoe crabs collected
				are maintained and released alive.
d. The Horseshoe Crab Biomedical Collection
				Permit shall be renewed each year if the holder files the report required in
				sub-subparagraph e.
e. Each person
				holding a Horseshoe Crab Biomedical Collection Permit shall file with the
				Division of Marine Fisheries by May 1 each year a report detailing the use of
				horseshoe crabs. Such reports will be filed on forms provided by the Division
				(Form DMF-HSC001 (7-02)) and will include a monthly account of the number of
				crabs collected, areas where horseshoe crabs were collected, statement of
				percent mortality up to the point of release, and a certification that
				collected horseshoe crabs are solely used by the biomedical facility for
				biomedical purposes and not for other
				purposes.