Florida Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Benefiting commercial aquaculture, Conserving natural resources Division of Aquaculture

Leslie Palmer, Director 1203 Governor's Square Boulevard, Suite 501 Tallahassee, Florida 32301-2961

Culturing Corals: Rules and Regs

Floridians interested in culturing corals (sea fans, stony corals, or fire corals) may do so if they qualify for certification as an aquaculture facility by the State of Florida. The possession and sales of legally harvested sea fans, stony corals, or fire corals from sources outside the state is allowed as long as the source is documented by establishing the chain of possession from the initial transaction after harvest by receipt(s), bill(s) of sale, or bill(s) of lading, and any customs receipts (68B-42.009, Prohibition on the Taking, Destruction, or Sale of Marine Corals and Sea Fans, Florida Administrative Code). Persons interested in starting an aquaculture facility must apply for an Aquaculture Certificate of Registration and will be regulated by the Division of Aquaculture under Aquaculture Best Management Practices, in accordance with Chapter 597, Florida Aquaculture Policy Act, Florida Statutes. For information about certification and Best Management Practices or to apply for a Certificate, visit http:// www.FloridaAquaculture.com. Coral species voluntarily colonize the material that live rock aquaculturists plant on their state or federal lease sites. Live rock can be sold with attached sea fan, stony coral or fire coral except for elkhorn and staghorn corals. These corals are federally listed as threatened species under the authority of the Endangered Species Act and may not be possessed, harvested, cultured, or sold.

Tallahassee Office: 850-488-4033 Winter Haven Office: 863-297-3985 Email: leslie.palmer@freshfromflorida.com Website: http://www.FloridaAquaculture.com

Coral and live rock producers must include their Aquaculture Certificate of Registration number on all sale or transfer of ownership paper work (receipts, bills of lading, invoices, etc). Producers are encouraged to include their AQ# on product packaging as well. Federal regulations may apply beyond state waters off Florida's coasts (federal waters begin 3.45 statute miles from the Atlantic coast and 10.376 statute miles from the Gulf coast). To find the federal regulations, visit http://www.gulfcouncil.org/ for Gulf waters and http://www.safmc. net/ for Atlantic waters. For marine life and coral regulations visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions web page: http://www. myfwc.com/ RULESANDREGS/SaltwaterRules CommercialRegs.htm. For technical information concerning coral culture (handling, production systems, water quality, etc.), contact the University of Floridas Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory at 813-6715230 ext 109 or visit http://tal.ifas. ufl.edu/.
Images courtesy of Jeff Turner, Reef Aquaria Design, Inc.

Adam H. Putnam, Commissioner of Agriculture

DACS-P-01545 Rev. 01/11