Florida has been blessed with some of the most extensive and diverse bodies of water in the United States, which comes with some regulations for commercial fishing permits in Florida.
Commercial Fishing Permits in Florida
Given the state’s significant amount of fresh bodies of water, as well as the long coastline both to the east and the west, commercial fishing permits in Florida are issued under two distinctions: saltwater and freshwater. You need to pay attention to these when it comes to carrying out your operations, or else you might end up getting in trouble. Keep in mind that there isn’t a single permit for either kind of environment, but rather a series of licenses that cover a variety of different marine life you may fish. Here at the Federal Commercial Fishing Permits Center, we can guide you through the process of applying for these licenses and ensuring you are able to fish in accordance with them.
Commercial Saltwater Permits
So, first, we have saltwater commercial fishing permits in Florida, which will be necessary if you are to fish commercially in the waters of the Atlantic coast of the state. There are a variety of different licenses since they cover different creatures. Here is a list of the available licenses for saltwater fishing in Florida:
- Saltwater Products Licenses (SPL)
- Restricted Species Endorsement (RS)
- Blue Crab – (VH/VS/VN) (RS Required)
- Blue Crab Incidental (VI) (RS, X, or Shrimp Sales Required)
- Lampara Net (L) (PS Required)
- Marine Life (MLD, MLB MLN) (RS Required)
- Pompano (P) (RS Required)
- Purse Seine (PS)
- Quinaldine (SA) (MLD or MLN Required)
- Shellfish Endorsement (BV)
- Spiny Lobster (C) (RS Required)
- Spiny Lobster Bully Net (C#-N) (RS and C Required)
- Spiny Lobster Commercial Dive Permit (C#-D) (RS Required)
- Sponge (Q)
- Stone Crab (X) (RS Required)
- Stone Crab Incidental Take (I) (RS, VH, or C)
- St. Johns Rivers Live Shrimp Production License (LS)
- St. Johns Commercial Food Shrimp Production License (DS)
- Tampa Bay Shrimp Production License (TB)
- Traps & Trap Tags
- Wholesale and Retail Dealers’ Licenses
Commercial Freshwater Permits
As far as freshwater commercial fishing in Florida goes, don’t worry. There are a lot fewer licenses to deal with here. Instead of the limitations in regards to the species that you are allowed to fish, these mostly pertain to the conditions, the groups, and some endangerment specifications. The following are the different categories that you need to keep in mind:
- Commercial Freshwater Fishing Licenses – Resident & Non-Resident
- Freshwater Fish & Frog Dealer’s License – Residents
- Commercial Freshwater Dealer’s Licenses – Non-Residents
- Wholesale Buyer’s License – Non-Residents
- Conditional/Prohibited/Nonnative Species Permit
Apply For Fishing Permits in Florida
Given all the different kinds of permits, licenses, and stamps available for both residents and non-residents, it’s understandable that the application process can get confusing or complicated. Don’t worry, though, because that’s what the Federal Commercial Fishing Permits Center is here for. Our team can help you with any application process so that you can easily submit it to the corresponding authorities and receive the permit that you need. For more information about this process, or to inquire about any of the applications, feel free to reach out to us via phone or email. We are here to make it all easier for you.
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