My question was half joking, half serious. It has always been "common knowledge" that you don't clean at sea because it would make enforcement almost impossible. But I've never actually seen the statute.
Pensacola Dive Charters charged with spearfishing w/o license
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Hetland
Contributor
I've seen the Alabama Reg, and it's pretty clear. I've never seen the Florida Reg, but I trust my fellow scubaboarders when they tell me it's the same.
68B-14.006 Other Prohibitions.
(1) Possession of any fish in excess of any applicable bag limit or smaller than any minimum size limit established by this chapter by any person aboard a vessel fishing in state waters constitutes a violation of this chapter.
(2) No person shall possess, transport, buy, sell, exchange or offer to buy, sell or exchange any fish harvested in violation of this chapter.
(3) The prohibitions of this chapter apply as well to any and all persons operating a vessel in state waters, who shall be deemed to have violated any prohibition which has been violated by another person aboard such vessel.
(4) All fish harvested from Florida or adjacent federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters pursuant to the requirements of this chapter shall be landed in a whole condition. The possession, while in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty, of such fish that have been deheaded, sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled or deboned is prohibited. Mere evisceration or “gutting” of fish, or mere removal of gills from fish, before landing is not prohibited. Preparation of fish for immediate consumption on board the vessel from which the fish were caught is not prohibited.
Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 12-11-86, Amended 2-1-90, 7-15-96, 12-31-98, Formerly 46-14.006.
(1) Possession of any fish in excess of any applicable bag limit or smaller than any minimum size limit established by this chapter by any person aboard a vessel fishing in state waters constitutes a violation of this chapter.
(2) No person shall possess, transport, buy, sell, exchange or offer to buy, sell or exchange any fish harvested in violation of this chapter.
(3) The prohibitions of this chapter apply as well to any and all persons operating a vessel in state waters, who shall be deemed to have violated any prohibition which has been violated by another person aboard such vessel.
(4) All fish harvested from Florida or adjacent federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters pursuant to the requirements of this chapter shall be landed in a whole condition. The possession, while in or on state waters, on any public or private fishing pier, on a bridge or catwalk attached to a bridge from which fishing is allowed, or on any jetty, of such fish that have been deheaded, sliced, divided, filleted, ground, skinned, scaled or deboned is prohibited. Mere evisceration or “gutting” of fish, or mere removal of gills from fish, before landing is not prohibited. Preparation of fish for immediate consumption on board the vessel from which the fish were caught is not prohibited.
Specific Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History–New 12-11-86, Amended 2-1-90, 7-15-96, 12-31-98, Formerly 46-14.006.
Preparation of fish for immediate consumption on board the vessel from which the fish were caught is not prohibited.
So what I said in post #17 would seem to hold up.
So what I said in post #17 would seem to hold up.
huntster70
Contributor
Can you imagine getting stranded at sea and having to throw back a fish you caught because it was wrong size.... 
They even cover grounding up the fish.... wow..... that is excessive.. but I guess people have tried that before or they wouldn't have to write it.
They even cover grounding up the fish.... wow..... that is excessive.. but I guess people have tried that before or they wouldn't have to write it.
RonFrank
Contributor
There is a need for laws, regulation, and enforcement. However the fines imposed seem rather steep. I've seen poachers in Colorado fined less for shooting trophy Elk in a National Park after dark! If you are not aware, that is a HUGE violation of just about EVERY law regarding the Hunting of Elk.
I'm not sure why these officers went after this op in such a hard core manner. Maybe there is more to the story that I am unaware of. Over 30K in fines IMO seems a bit over the top.
I'm curious, what does it cost for a boat to get a commercial license to fish? Maybe this is just another way for our government to extract money in an ever tight economy! :shocked2:
I'm not sure why these officers went after this op in such a hard core manner. Maybe there is more to the story that I am unaware of. Over 30K in fines IMO seems a bit over the top.
I'm curious, what does it cost for a boat to get a commercial license to fish? Maybe this is just another way for our government to extract money in an ever tight economy! :shocked2:
FredT
Guest
The # of Commercial reef boat licenses are frozen, but transferable. Sale of the 'privilege" of buying a license from a boat going out of the business is worth more than the license fees, and often more than the boat.
Back in the dark ages if the boat had a state fishing license, the customers didn't have to have one. There WERE no Federal licenses and fish that were targeted by the recreational fishery were both large and plentiful. NOW the access is severely restricted with the lion's share going to Commercial Harvest guys, Both commercial rec charter AND the diver have to be licensed, now another chunk is expected to be allocated exclusively to the few captains left in the rec charter industry, with the poor sod with a small boat that wants to fish generally left out in the cold. See the Fishing Rights Alliance (FRA) website at The FRA Fishing Rights Alliance for more detail.
Back in the dark ages if the boat had a state fishing license, the customers didn't have to have one. There WERE no Federal licenses and fish that were targeted by the recreational fishery were both large and plentiful. NOW the access is severely restricted with the lion's share going to Commercial Harvest guys, Both commercial rec charter AND the diver have to be licensed, now another chunk is expected to be allocated exclusively to the few captains left in the rec charter industry, with the poor sod with a small boat that wants to fish generally left out in the cold. See the Fishing Rights Alliance (FRA) website at The FRA Fishing Rights Alliance for more detail.
SuPrBuGmAn
Contributor
Old thread
Yes and Im sure the Operators don't want this brought up.
MAYBE A MODERATOR COULD CLOSE THIS ONE.
sontek
Contributor
well, since its brought up.... have the regulations improved? got worse?
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