catch my own hermits?

Prohibited Species: All harvest is prohibited of the following species:

Live rock, Bahama starfish, longspine urchin, any sea fan of the species Gorgonia flabellum or of the species Gorgonia ventalina, any hard or stony coral (Order Scleractinia), any fire coral (Genus Millepora).

Like I said, "Have Fun"

 

As far as hermits go, have fun and wig out. Abide by the limit. Want more than a pint, take a friend, now it's two pints. But there's no reason you would need 2 pints unless you're setting up your own private lake sized reef.-----mmmm, dreams------

Oh, hermits. There is a small island in our area called Dog island. They have sponge dwelling hermits there. These guys are really cool. They take a live sponge ball, open a whole in it and crawl into it like if it was a shell. Now, most of the island is under reserve, but there is some private property there that if you established contact with some of the owners they might not mind if you collect on their property.

http://www.public.coe.edu/departments/Biology/hermit.html

Anyways look into DIY live rock. I believe Matt and others on the site have tried it. www.garf.org has some great stuff.

 

[quote author=Diver_1298 link=board=Inverts;num=1096768901;start=0#10 date=10/04/04 at 09:01:19]Prohibited Species: All harvest is prohibited of the following species:

Live rock, Bahama starfish, longspine urchin, any sea fan of the species Gorgonia flabellum or of the species Gorgonia ventalina, any hard or stony coral (Order Scleractinia), any fire coral (Genus Millepora).

Like I said, "Have Fun"
[/quote]

well...none the less, I'v had people tell me lobster were ILLEGAL year round too. NOT so.

I also earlier this year, in Marathon, was showing a FWC officer ( all Marine Patrol and like authorities have been combined into FWC) my catch of rock and debris. He made me take out 2 pieces, which contained something he know about, and said have fun with the rest.

Now, none of this was chiseled off Sombrero Reef or anything, only loose pieces found in man-made trenches, while I was catching those illegal lobsters, right after buying my crawfish license. So, what it all amounts too, is this:

Its only a fine if you get caught, and the officer is a butt-head. I always go looking for an officer if theres one around. Always for me, they were glad to come over and help!
The ocean is the biggest mass on the planet, and I have never been stopped in 20+ years of living a marine lifestyle. Just don't take this the wrong way.



I would advise placing anything found in a separate tank for observation, and then going from there. I've never had anything I put in my 2-3 tanks ever go bad. I have taken a few things back out again, for being destructive. (Big hermit crabs).

If I could find Turbo snails crawling around, I would pick them up, and take them to my private safe sanctuary.

But they are only a buck apiece in the store, too.

Unfortunately, with the quality LFS I have here in Jacksonville, catching your own stuff is a good idea!!!

good luck...and don't speed!!!

Scoffer

 

[quote author=Mr. Crabs link=board=Inverts;num=1096768901;start=0#1 date=10/02/04 at 20:24:29]They frown upon catching "critters" from the ocean to put in a tank. For many reasons - one being that a tank might be too much "stress" for them, since most creatures that are purchased commercially are raised in captivity and are used to living in captivity (a tank). [smiley=yaknow.gif][/quote]

It was my understanding that the majority of SW fish are wild-caught and NOT tank-raised (with a few exceptions: clownfish, for example). So I don't see much difference in catching it yourself or buying it from the store--if you're careful then technically catching it yourself would ultimately be less stressful to the fish because it'll be transferred fewer times.

Hmm, on the other hand, if you catch a fish then you add stress to it from taking it from the wild, whereas if you buy a fish from the store, that fish has ALREADY been caught and stressed.

 

FYI

The law in Florida for recreational collection...is 20 animals total...of anything.....best to check FWC website to be up to date on new regs...as they are real serious here about enforcement.......not a pint...pint is for ML permit holders...and you must have a Florida fishing license...to collect recreationaly

sea ya
Richard TBS;D;D;D

 

And with the new rules that were passed this week in Tallahassee, a total of 20 animals....but only 5 of each kind may be in possession with a valid fishing license....so if you have six snails in your total bag limit of 20 animals, then it is a violation...

Richard TBS

 

hey there!!! i catch most of my critters from snorkeling...I live in boca raton FL and there are TONS of little scarlet and blue leg hermits here and I mean TTTTOOONNNSS I actually got too many for my tank and had to let some go there are also tons of cool porcelain crabs of all colors, pistol shrimps, sea hares,feather dusters you name it...If your ever around south florida go to Boca Raton inlet or Boyton beach inlet I would recommend Lighthouse point inlet in Pompano beach but that is tiger shark breeding ground also just grab a snorkel and check out your spots just dunk your head in and wade in a nasty rock filled itchy spot flip rocks and BLAMO! new livestock

 

while we are on the live rock topic...what if I placed my own rock in the inlet and then came back a month later for it is that still illegal hmmmmmmmm gray areas gray areas tisk tisk

 

Yup

Yup

both activities are illegal....don't get caught by the FWC with no fishing license....and bag limit over 20 animals, with no more than five of each specie....or you will find out those little BL hermits will cost you $200 each when the judge gets done with you...they are real serious these days..

and the rock? nope, you must lease submerged lands from the state to aquaculture live rock, and possession of any live rock in Florida is a serious fine also...

Richard TBS

 

I'm not sure about laws and stuff.. I see someone mentioned a pint of hermits. I wonder within what time frame? A pint a day? Anyway .. the rocks at the very end of South beach in Miami has loads of the tiny blue leg hermits.