379.357 Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission license program for tarpon; fees; penalties.—
(1) The commission shall establish a license program for the purpose of issuing tags to individuals desiring to harvest fish of the species Megalops atlanticus, commonly known as tarpon, from the waters of the state. The tags shall be nontransferable, except that the commission may allow for a limited number of tags to be purchased by professional fishing guides for transfer to individuals, and issued by the commission in order of receipt of a properly completed application for a nonrefundable fee of $50 per tag. The commission and any tax collector may sell the tags and collect the fees therefor. Tarpon tags are valid from January 1 through December 31. To defray the cost of issuing any tag, the issuing tax collector shall collect and retain as his or her costs, in addition to the tag fee collected, the amount allowed under s. 379.352(6) for the issuance of licenses.
(2) Proceeds from the sale of tarpon tags shall be deposited in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund and shall be used to gather information directly applicable to tarpon management.
(3) An individual may not take, kill, or possess any fish of the species Megalops atlanticus, commonly known as tarpon, unless the individual has purchased a tarpon tag and securely attached it through the lower jaw of the fish.
(4) Any individual including a taxidermist who possesses a tarpon which does not have a tag securely attached as required by this section commits a Level Two violation under s. 379.401. Provided, however, a taxidermist may remove the tag during the process of mounting a tarpon. The removed tag shall remain with the fish during any subsequent storage or shipment.
(5) Purchase of a tarpon tag shall not accord the purchaser any right to harvest or possess tarpon in contravention of rules adopted by the commission. No individual may sell, offer for sale, barter, exchange for merchandise, transport for sale, either within or without the state, offer to purchase, or purchase any species of fish known as tarpon.
(6) The commission shall prescribe and provide suitable forms and tags necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
(7) The provisions of this section shall not apply to anyone who immediately returns a tarpon uninjured to the water at the place where the fish was caught.
History.—s. 1, ch. 88-170; s. 215, ch. 94-356; s. 986, ch. 95-148; s. 7, ch. 96-300; s. 28, ch. 96-321; s. 4, ch. 98-227; s. 100, ch. 99-245; s. 19, ch. 2002-46; s. 16, ch. 2006-304; s. 142, ch. 2008-247; s. 6, ch. 2015-161.
Note.—Former s. 370.062; s. 372.5704.
Section: Previous 379.3501 379.3502 379.3503 379.3504 379.3511 379.3512 379.352 379.353 379.354 379.356 379.357 379.3581 379.3582 379.359 NextLast modified: September 23, 2016