Each person harvesting shrimp in the Northwest Region as a food shrimp producer shall comply with the requirements specified in this rule.

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    (1) Allowable Gear – No person shall harvest shrimp in the nearshore and inshore Florida waters of the region as a food shrimp producer with any type of gear other than:
    (a) A roller frame trawl meeting the following specifications:
    1. Neither the upper nor lower horizontal beam on a roller frame trawl so used is greater than 16 feet in length.
    2. The vertical bars shielding the trawl opening are spaced no further than 3 inches apart.
    3. No more than two such trawls, unconnected, shall be towed by a single vessel at any time.
    4. The netting of the trawl shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
    (b) No more than two unconnected otter trawls, each with a perimeter around the leading edge of the net not greater than 66 feet and a net no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C. The two otter trawls allowed in the nearshore and inshore Florida waters of this region shall include any try net being towed.
    (c) No more than two unconnected skimmer trawls meeting the following specifications:
    1. The perimeter around the leading edge of any skimmer trawl shall not exceed 56 feet.
    2. No more than two skimmer trawls, unconnected other than being attached to the same vessel, shall be deployed from a single vessel at any time.
    3. The netting of a skimmer trawl shall be no larger in mesh area than specified by subsection 68B-31.0035(2), F.A.C.
    (2) No trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the inshore waters of the Northwest Region that has a mesh size less than 3/4 inch bar measurement in the body of the net and 5/8 inch bar measurement in the cod end. In any trawl with a rigid turtle excluder device (TED), the section of netting surrounding the device shall have a mesh size no smaller than 1/2 inch bar measurement and shall be no more than 50 meshes in total length.
    (3) No otter or skimmer trawl shall be used for food shrimp production in the Northwest Region that is not in compliance with Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.004
    (4) In the Northwest Region, no person harvesting shrimp as a food shrimp producer shall operate or fish any otter or skimmer trawl, or possess any otter or skimmer trawl that is rigged for fishing aboard any vessel, which trawl does not have a bycatch reduction device (BRD) installed therein meeting the requirements of Fl. Admin. Code R. 68B-31.0045
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 1-1-92, Amended 1-1-96, 8-17-98, 6-1-99, Formerly 46-31.010, Amended 5-2-01, 1-1-03.