Found Some Interesting Information About Collecting in Florida

NanoKat · #1 05/13/2007, 09:29 PM

I was actually looking on the web for information on a white claw hermit crab I had in my tank for two years. He was really cool, didn't seem to disturb anything, and spent alot of time on the sandbed eating detritus and whatnot. In my search on the web about this species, I found the FWC (Florida Wildlife Conservation) webpage on recreational collecting. It's interesting and informative reading. If anyone does any collecting...it's a must read!

FWC Recreational Collecting Rules and Regulations

If anyone has seen the white claw hermits for sale anywhere, let me know! I'd love to have another one. I think mine died of old age, as he was definitely the 1" size that I've read is their maxiumum.

STEVEBEAM · #2 05/14/2007, 07:11 AM

Darn,

I always thought that if you were active or retired military with a current Military ID you did not need a licence. I wish I would have read this before the weekend, I was collecting crabs and snails in the Keys and could have been in a lot of trouble.

I will be getting The Military Gold license that covers everything including hunting.

Thanks,
Steve

coralfragger101 · #3 05/14/2007, 03:42 PM

Hope you aren't collecting blue legged hermits. Even though they were put on the restricted species list 7 years ago it seems that no one seems to know about it.

coralfragger101 · #4 05/14/2007, 03:44 PM

Even on the website above they haven't changed it - but trust me. They are illegal to collect without proper licensing.

Don't believe me? Write to FWC yourself.

chrisaggie · #5 05/14/2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coralfragger101
Hope you aren't collecting blue legged hermits. Even though they were put on the restricted species list 7 years ago it seems that no one seems to know about it.

Can anyone verify this or do we know of a link that references this? I just collect blue legs myself a few weekends back. I have never heard of this before. Until I learn otherwise in writing I am going to go by the rules posted by Kathy. I don't think a law enforcement officer could argue with posted rules by FWC.

tperk9784 · #6 05/14/2007, 03:53 PM

How would they expect the general population to know about it if they don't post it on the website?

coralfragger101 · #7 05/14/2007, 03:53 PM

I recently posted where it was in another thread. Give me a minute and I will find it again.

coralfragger101 · #8 05/14/2007, 03:54 PM

MARINE LIFE, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

· Designates porkfish and blue-legged or tri-color hermit crab as “restricted species”

From FWC website: http://myfwc.com/marine/history/MARINELIFE.htm

coralfragger101 · #9 05/14/2007, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tperk9784
How would they expect the general population to know about it if they don't post it on the website?

Ignorance of the law has never worked in the past. I personally know someone that has had to pay thousands attorney fees and fines because they were caught with blue legs.

chrisaggie · #10 05/14/2007, 04:00 PM

I think by "restricted species" they mean that it is included in the 20 a day bag limit.

chrisaggie · #11 05/14/2007, 04:04 PM

I sent a question about this into the FWC. We should have an answer shortly.

coralfragger101 · #12 05/14/2007, 04:05 PM

Absolutely NOT. Restricted species means you must posses a restricted species license along with all the other essential licenses. I have been there - done that.

Once again. If you don't believe me then simply write to FWC yourself. You can do this from their website and they take about a day or two to answer. I didn't save my letter or response or I would post that as well. I went down this road 7 or 8 months ago and when I caught wind of this, I thoroughly checked it out and unfortunately I found out that they are indeed illegal to collect without all the proper licensing. At the time, I had a saltwater license as well as a commercial saltwater license. It still wasn't good enough without the restricted species permit which is next to impossible to get.

coralfragger101 · #13 05/14/2007, 04:06 PM

"without" the restricted species permit. Don't know how to edit a post or even if you can.

tperk9784 · #14 05/14/2007, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coralfragger101
MARINE LIFE, CH 46-42, F.A.C. (Effective June 1, 1999)

· Designates porkfish and blue-legged or tri-color hermit crab as “restricted species”

From FWC website: http://myfwc.com/marine/history/MARINELIFE.htm

The are restricted not prohibited.

Designates porkfish and blue-legged or tri-color hermit crab as “restricted species”

I read this to mean:

Bag Limit: Aggregate bag limit of 20 species (in any combination), of the species included in the Marine Life rule as listed below. Of those 20 species, no more than 5 may be angelfish, and no more than 6 may be colonies of octocorals (each colony or part thereof is included in the aggregate bag limit). The bag limit for plants listed in this rule is 1 gallon.

coralfragger101 · #15 05/14/2007, 04:09 PM

LOL - figured out how to edit and then wouldn't let me delete the other one. Oh well.......

coralfragger101 · #16 05/14/2007, 04:10 PM

So simply wait for the response from FWC that ChrisAggie sent.

coralfragger101 · #17 05/14/2007, 04:13 PM

TPERK - What you are reading is basically from the first link above. That is when they were under the "bag limit" rule.

Bag limit and being placed on the restricted species list are two entirely different things.

chrisaggie · #18 05/14/2007, 04:17 PM

Why aren't they on the prohibited list? If we restrict ("restricted species") the amount of blue legs Chris can collect I would take that to mean limit, but if we prohibit the collecting of blue legs I would assume Chris couldn't collect me. Just my logic. We'll get to the bottom of this so we all have it straight one way or the other.

coralfragger101 · #19 05/14/2007, 04:20 PM

I'm telling you - they haven't updated their own material. Download a copy of the Commercial Saltwater License Application and it has a list of "restricted species" on it as well and you won't see blue legs listed there either but they are.

coralfragger101 · #20 05/14/2007, 04:22 PM

I got the Commercial License above and beyond the regular one so that I could collect more than the 20 bag limit. Basically thinking the same way you guys are thinking.

Sometime later I was told by an online friend that he just got popped with blue legs. I couldn't believe it either. That's when I went to FWC myself and found out that what I've stated above is true.

liverock · #21 05/14/2007, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tperk9784
The are restricted not prohibited.

Designates porkfish and blue-legged or tri-color hermit crab as “restricted species”

I read this to mean:

Bag Limit: Aggregate bag limit of 20 species (in any combination), of the species included in the Marine Life rule as listed below. Of those 20 species, no more than 5 may be angelfish, and no more than 6 may be colonies of octocorals (each colony or part thereof is included in the aggregate bag limit). The bag limit for plants listed in this rule is 1 gallon.

This is the CORRECT information.....don't get caught without a license, or over the bag limit, as they will take you to the Key West jail, and it has no a/c...not a pleasant place!

They are VERY TOUGH in the Keys, and no excuse will keep you from being arrested, it is their JOB, and they do it well!

I have been stopped by five different enforcement agencies in ONE DAY, down there before!

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com

chrisaggie · #22 05/14/2007, 04:23 PM

If you read the last link it defines cobia, sea trout, snapper, etc as restricted species, but I know for a fact you can keep them as long as they are the correct size.

coralfragger101 · #23 05/14/2007, 04:24 PM

I'm only telling you what FWC told me. End of story.

coralfragger101 · #24 05/14/2007, 04:25 PM

So why don't they call the "restricted species permit" the "prohibited species permit" ?

liverock · #25 05/14/2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by coralfragger101
I got the Commercial License above and beyond the regular one so that I could collect more than the 20 bag limit. Basically thinking the same way you guys are thinking.

Sometime later I was told by an online friend that he just got popped with blue legs. I couldn't believe it either. That's when I went to FWC myself and found out that what I've stated above is true.

And you cannot get "the commercial" license, has been a moratorium on the for many years....is called a Marine Life endorsement.....the ONLY way to get one is to purchase one from somebody who has one and the run 50-100K depending IF you can find one as there are only about 79 full blown MLD "Marine life dive" permits in existence....

Richard TBS
www.tbsaltwater.com