(1) No person shall operate as a food shrimp producer in any waters of Tampa Bay unless such person has procured from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission a dead shrimp production permit issued pursuant to this rule.
    (2) No permit will be issued and no permit will be renewed except those permits issued in the base year of 1992. A food shrimp production permit will be renewed and issued to persons qualified pursuant to the following criteria:
    (a) Each applicant for renewal shall make application prior to June 30 each year on a form provided by the Commission (DMF-SL3100 (3-05), Food Shrimp Production Permit Application, incorporated herein by reference).
    (b) One permit is required for each vessel used for food shrimp production in the waters of Tampa Bay. A permit shall be renewable only by an individual who is the principal owner of the vessel or of the business entity owning the vessel and utilizing the permit. No more than three permits shall be issued to any individual.
    (c) Each application shall be accompanied by fees as provided in Florida Statutes § 379.369
    (d) Each applicant for renewal shall make application prior to June 30 each year, and shall hold any other license or registration required to operate a commercial fishing vessel in Tampa Bay on the date of application.
    (e) The number of permits outstanding in any one year shall not exceed the number issued in 1992.
    (f) No permit shall be transferable by any method, including devise or inheritance, and a permit shall be renewable only by the initial holder thereof.
    (3) All permits not renewed pursuant to subsection (2), by June 30 in each year for any reason shall expire and shall not be renewable under any circumstances.
    (4) No person harvesting food shrimp from Tampa Bay shall sell such shrimp to any person unless such seller is in possession of a food shrimp production permit issued pursuant to this rule. Except for purchases from other wholesale dealers, no wholesale dealer, as defined in Section 379.362(1)(a)3., F.S., shall purchase food shrimp harvested in Tampa Bay, unless the seller produces his or her food shrimp production permit prior to the sale of the shrimp.
    (5) The operator of any vessel used in Tampa Bay for food shrimp production shall possess while in or on the waters of the bay and produce upon the request of any duly authorized law enforcement officer a current food shrimp production permit issued for the vessel pursuant to this rule.
    (6) Each person harvesting shrimp in Tampa Bay pursuant to the permit required by this section shall comply with all rules of the Commission regulating such harvest.
    (7) For purpose of this section, “”Tampa Bay”” means all the waters of the bay east and north of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge (U.S. 19 and Interstate 275).
Rulemaking Authority Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. Law Implemented Art. IV, Sec. 9, Fla. Const. History-New 3-1-05.