harvesting own coral possible?

Me and my girlfriend are going down to florida for vacation here pretty soon and I was wondering if it was possible to harvest my own coral out of the waters there? I was also wondering if there are restrictions to what I can harvest, and if I have to get a special license to harvest coral if it is at all possible.

 

I am pretty sure that it is legal given that you posses a valid fishing license of that state and you abide by rules and regulations. I think you can pick up an out of state day or week recreational fishing license, but I dont think it will be very cheap. My outta state hunting licenses can reach upwards of two hundred bucks! I also am pretty sure that that you can collect things like soft corals, zoas, some types of gorgonians, and NO SPS CORAL OR LIVE ROCK! Dont just rely on my word though...Read up online about it I am sure there is a lot of info. I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR YOU COLLECTING SOMETHING YOU SHOULDNT!

 

yes, collecting softies are ok...IF YOU HAVE A FISHING LICENSE..

 

<climbs up on soap box>
I am shocked that it’s legal to pull soft corals with a license – as an avid diver I would in no means advocate this. As it is I see complete moron’s under the water molesting the reef, incompetent divers dragging their gear over hard and soft corals alike.

If you are an avid diver stop for a moment and think about the nicest scenery you have been able to take in off the coast of Florida – now make a guess at the amount of divers in one summer that visit it. Now try and picture it if just 25% of those divers were there to pull the softies….rap of the natural world. Now factor in 20% of these vacationing boob’s not knowing what they are doing – fighting current to stay still long enough to harvest more than likely damaging the hard slower growing corals around.

If a dive shop knows what you are about to do they would not rent you equipment.

</rant>

Now as a 3reef member – we need to stick together I suppose. So if its legal and you are doing it – don’t tell the local dive shop, or anyone actually. I saw a guy harvesting snails and shells that gave way to a fist fight back on the boat between him and another guy the was a reef protector.


Florida DEP | CAMA | Coral Reef Conservation Program

Here is a good web site with the harvesting rules (6 softies per day per perseon) : http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Saltwater_Regulations_coral_questions.htm

 

Yeah, I do realize all the repercussions of taking coral, but I was more in the lines of paying someone to let me go to an area they have specifically for the taking of coral, like pay a couple hundred and you can take a certain amount of coral or something.

 

if you frag a few softies its not gonna hurt, they will grow back FAST...not only that..but the oil spill is gonna do more damage than you anyhow..

 

true, I was only looking for zoas anyhow, and if there are none than I wasnt going to frag anything, but maybe some others I would I have no clue

 

Yeah, there was someone doing this a few years back. Officials hid a GPS on her boat and they flew above and took pictures illegally collecting. I suspect she's still in jail. She used to run the now-defunct ricordeas.net.

 

so to harvest anything you need a fishing liscence?

 

yes, which if you out of state, might not be worth ur while buying to harvest a few zoas