collecting in the keys?

dave3112 · Post by **dave3112** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:19 pm

I just have a quick question for you guys and girls. Can I collect some soft corals in the Key West area? I am going on a trip there with the Navy and was wondering if I could get some cool corals or fish there. Is there a web site that I can look up to see what is legal to get and what is not? Thanks,

Dave

ShagMan · Post by **ShagMan** » Fri May 13, 2005 1:42 pm

in short, you can't. If I remember correctly, you can buy a collector's license or something like that, and then you have a limited number of items you can pull per day.

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Fri May 13, 2005 4:35 pm

You can collect soft corals with a valid fishing license. There is a maximum that you can collect per day and they can't be attached to any substrate larger than a quarter. I am sure that Florida has some page with this but I don't have it handy. Any hard coral collection is not allowed.

Redfish · Post by **Redfish** » Fri May 13, 2005 11:35 pm

You can have no more than 6 octocoral (soft coral) colonies at any time.

Phil

Redfish · Post by **Redfish** » Fri May 13, 2005 11:36 pm

Bottom of the page.

http://myfwc.com/marine/Regulations/Regschart2005.pdf

Phil

dave3112 · Post by **dave3112** » Sat May 14, 2005 11:21 pm

Thanks for the replies! I just have to find a way to get them back to Cali. I think that softies will be ok fed ex overnight.

Thanks again,

Dave

Scott · Post by **Scott** » Sun May 15, 2005 12:29 am

I have not been there to collect but I know that there are mostly zoanthids, ricordia and gorgonians there. They would be good overnight.

dave3112 · Post by **dave3112** » Mon May 16, 2005 9:38 am

Thanks Scott! I thought they would be ok. I may try to take them on the plane with me since it is a navy flight and don't have to go throught the same check in process and I know they would be handled alot better by me.

Dave

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Mon May 16, 2005 9:57 am

did you say you were based out of Arizona?

dave3112 · Post by **dave3112** » Mon May 16, 2005 2:40 pm

No California. Why do you ask?

Dave

Fishfood · Post by **Fishfood** » Mon May 16, 2005 2:43 pm

Just a joke about your comment of the check in process and the guys who got busted last week for smuggling drugs..