FL S1470

Revises administrative penalties for stone crab trap violations, increasing penalties from $1,000 (first), $2,000 (second), and $5,000 (third) to allow up to those amounts, with a fourth violation within 48 months resulting in permanent revocation of all saltwater fishing privileges.

Modifies spiny lobster trap violation penalties to include a new fourth violation provision resulting in permanent revocation of saltwater fishing privileges if occurring within 48 months of three previous violations, and clarifies suspension periods as 12 or 24 months rather than remainder of license year.

Creates new major violation for recreational and commercial harvesters possessing undersized spiny lobsters, with each lobster charged separately for violations under 100 lobsters (capped at 4 years imprisonment and $4,000 fine), and violations involving 100 or more lobsters treated as third-degree felonies with mandatory civil fines of at least $500 and administrative penalties up to $2,000.

Adds stone crab trap violations to the criminal offense severity ranking chart as third-degree felonies and updates spiny lobster offense classifications to reflect undersized lobster possession penalties.

Effective date: October 1, 2016.