Coral Collecting- Florida

lessthanlights · #1 11/18/2006, 03:10 AM

Please don’t flame me!

I've recently been reading up on Florida's rule and regulations concerning recreational harvesting of marine species. It seems that there are is a wide variety of species permitted by a simple fishing license. I am scuba certified and the idea of personally collecting specimens for my aquarium is very intriguing.

I know captive breed and propagated corals have many benefits over their wild counterparts but everything came from the wild at one point. I also understand, as much as I can, the consequences and responsibilities of removing living organisms from the ocean. So please if you don't have any constructive ideas- keep them to yourself.

The Question-
Does anyone have information on how I should begin this process- where is acceptable to collect, boat captains that are open to this, tips, tricks, experiences, books, links ect.

Thanks

Florida Law
http://myfwc.com/marine/recreational/recharvestmls.htm

reefnetworth · #2 11/18/2006, 05:58 AM

coral is conected to LR and its the first one on the list. hey ive been to jail before, they didnt give me my rock back when i got out. just a court date and a slap onth wrist. i plead "stupid" to the judge. told em' i didnt know you couldnt take it home if someone on the beach sold it to you.

John,

Ryanqk · #3 11/18/2006, 09:41 AM

Not all coral is connected to live rock, i've collected (legally) wild florida coral frags as they were swept toward shore after storms, as long as its not a restricted species shore-collecting of torn fragments is one method of legal collecting.

Speckled Grouper · #4 11/18/2006, 09:49 AM

I go colleting all the time and as Ryan said, not all coral are connected to LR.
Just study the FWC website and know what you can and cannot take.
It's a lot of fun, I was out in 2 - 3 feet of water last weekend and found a beautiful blue mushroom, gorgonians, zoanthids, seamat, lettuce nudibrach, decorator crabs, anemone shrimp, rock anemones, astrea snails, nerites, ceriths, sea stars etc etc. Pity the water is getting too cold for me now....

timrandlerv10 · #5 11/18/2006, 11:07 PM

far be it for me to judge florida law (i'm from alabama...go ahead, say it, im used to it...) but why, exactly, is that piece of legislation labled 'Coreal Q&A' again?

i completely support the legal and humane collection of all legal species that you can raise in your tank, especially for the education of the collection process. it is that exact logic that is allowing many of us to build our own airplanes, safe from the FAA's absurd requirements...more efficient and safer than most commercial aircraft.

now, if you propagate them after collection for swapping, THAT gets you a gold star.

Ryanqk · #6 11/23/2006, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Speckled Grouper
I go colleting all the time and as Ryan said, not all coral are connected to LR.
Just study the FWC website and know what you can and cannot take.
It's a lot of fun, I was out in 2 - 3 feet of water last weekend and found a beautiful blue mushroom, gorgonians, zoanthids, seamat, lettuce nudibrach, decorator crabs, anemone shrimp, rock anemones, astrea snails, nerites, ceriths, sea stars etc etc. Pity the water is getting too cold for me now....

Hey what area were you at? i havnt found nearly that much in one location in the spots i've tried lol

jblackwell0488 · #7 11/24/2006, 10:42 PM

i have collected zoos as they are attached to clam shells but you cant take rock.. blue legs are literally a dime a dozen..i can get 100 in 5 mins..star fish, sea horses, fish, crabs, snails.. i am not aware of any stony corals that are legal to have.. it is easy to say you picked up on shore but its just as easy for the authorities to say "sure, tell me another one"....fish are ligit as long as you obay bag and length limits..but in the end its your word against thiers and i dont want to think who has the last word. be careful with what you collect thats my advice from a florida persone...by the way i have found the best collection placein ft pierce it is called ORA....Google it it you havent heard already....jaime

brimil · #8 11/27/2006, 08:10 PM

I am vacationing down by vero beach. I am not much of a swimmer, probaby drown doing the snorking thing. And since I am driving I won't have much for collecting. But I am interested in seeing zoas and seahorses in the wild. Where would be the best place to go?

timrandlerv10 · #9 11/27/2006, 08:55 PM

LFS?

brimil · #10 11/28/2006, 01:09 PM

Hah, I can do that here...........I am wondering where in florida can you see them by the coast.

jblackwell0488 · #11 11/28/2006, 10:12 PM

you can see alot of stuff where ever there is rocks that have been in place for a long time...jettys, breakwaters, inlets and rocky coastline...ask a local dive shop for the best places to go..the internet will help by checking county parks... also try googling places to snorkle in that county..or so fla....i love google....

Dr.FuManchu · #12 11/29/2006, 09:32 AM

If you have a chance you should go out on a dive boat. I go to the FLA keys every summer and go snorkeling/diving off of dive boats. They take you to really cool places on the reefs and are inexpensive, say $90 for a half day. This last summer we went to Marathon key and took a boat out of there a few miles out. The trip was amazing, saw two large sea turtles, a Moray about 6 feet long, and a Brain coral as big as a VW bug. If you get a chance Do it.

alizarin · #13 12/18/2006, 10:57 PM

As I understood it you're allowed to frag soft corals and at least for some kinds of gorgonians you're allowed to chisel off a small piece of rock where it's attached. But, I don't know if that's changed or not.

Here's an interesting page on the subject -
http://mtfb.com/tbas1/IFoughtTheLaw.html

Vi3tKid420 · #14 12/30/2006, 07:55 AM

dang u guys are lucky cali area dont have none =[

thecichlidpleco · #15 01/28/2007, 12:23 AM

Are there any boating trips where you can actually go and frag coral?

RicksReefs · #16 01/28/2007, 09:52 AM

http://www.sealective.com/cgi-bin/we...shtml&cart_id=

SIZZLA KALONJI · #17 02/01/2007, 05:29 PM

Every single stony coral is protected in florida and has been since 1984....collecting from the beach is just as illegal as chipping it from the reef.

illal · #18 02/20/2007, 10:55 AM

wheres a good place to go in ft laud???

Slamajama · #19 02/20/2007, 11:36 AM

i gotta take a trip to the keys

Leosdad · #20 02/22/2007, 11:24 AM

When in the Florida Keys, make snorkeling/diving
"Looe Key", a must on your to-do list. I have snorkeled there twice and it is like diving inside your reef aquarium!

RicksReefs · #21 02/22/2007, 08:30 PM

but if you do visit Looe, remeber it's fully protected and you will get busted for collecting there.

JHemdal · #22 02/24/2007, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by illal
wheres a good place to go in ft laud???

There used to be a rocky ledge within swimming distance of shore off of 12th street. The problem is that I can't recall if it was 12th street in lauderdale or Pompano. Also, the shifting sands tend to cover and uncover it, so there is no telling what is there now. I recall swimming off the beach and looking down, and starting to see a few gorgonians, and then rocks and then coral on rocks as I went further out. There are lines of ledges, but the ones further out require boat access. Watch out for boat traffic - you should use a dive flag.

Jay Hemdal

xtm · #23 02/25/2007, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vi3tKid420
dang u guys are lucky cali area dont have none =[

well...we can always go to Sta Monica beach and collect cigarette butts

billsreef · #24 02/27/2007, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JHemdal
There used to be a rocky ledge within swimming distance of shore off of 12th street. The problem is that I can't recall if it was 12th street in lauderdale or Pompano.

Pompano I think. I've snorkeled ledges that fit that description while visiting friend that live there