3360776, 5L-1.003 - Florida Administrative Rules, Law, Code, Register

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Notice: 3360776

Notice of Proposed Rule

Department:

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER SERVICES

Division:

Division of Aquaculture

Chapter:

THE COMPREHENSIVE SHELLFISH CONTROL CODE

Overview

RULE:

5L-1.003

Shellfish Harvesting Area Standards

PURPOSE:

These amendments propose to reclassify the shellfish harvesting areas #28 Suwannee Sound and #92 North St. Johns. Sanitary surveys have been conducted that evaluated current information on pollution sources and bacteriological water quality, and recommend reclassification of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area and the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area. This amendment further proposes to amend the shellfish harvesting map for #1621 Apalachicola Bay Approved Summer.

SUMMARY:

The proposed reclassification of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area for the winter months will decrease the size of the conditionally approved area by 5,003 acres, from 71,467 acres to 66,464 acres, increase the size of the conditionally restricted area by 4,804 acres, from 26,591 acres to 31,395 acres, and increase the size of the prohibited area by 196 acres, from 4,697 acres to 4,893 acres. The proposed reclassification of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area for the spring and summer months will decrease the size of the conditionally approved area by 4,189 acres, from 71,467 acres to 67,278 acres, increase the size of the conditionally restricted area by 4,753 acres, from 26,591 acres to 31,344 acres, and decrease the size of the prohibited area by 252 acres, from 4,697 acres to 4,445 acres.
The current management of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area is based on local rainfall or river stage. Proposed management of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area during winter months is based on local rainfall or river stage. Proposed management of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area during the spring and summer months is based on river stage. The average closure frequency of Suwannee Sound Conditionally Approved during the winter is expected to decrease by 3.5 days per month, from 15.5 days to 12.0 days per month. The average closure frequency of Suwannee Sound Conditionally Restricted during the winter is expected to decrease by 0.2 days per month, from 6.0 days to 5.8 days per month. The average closure frequency of Suwannee Sound Conditionally Approved during the spring and summer is expected to decrease by 8.2 days per month, from 15.5 days to 7.3 days per month. The average closure frequency of Suwannee Sound Conditionally Restricted during the spring and summer is expected to decrease by 3.9 days per month, from 6.0 days to 2.1 days per month.
The proposed reclassification of the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area will increase the size of the conditionally approved area by 144 acres, from 678 acres to 822 acres, decrease the size of the conditionally restricted area by 74 acres, from 2,270 acres to 2,196 acres, and increase the size of the prohibited area by 125 acres, from 2,470 acres to 2,595 acres. The current management of the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area is based on local rainfall. Proposed management of the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area is based on local rainfall. The average closure frequency of North St. Johns Conditionally Approved is expected to decrease by 1.0 days per month, from 3.4 days to 2.4 days per month. The average closure frequency of North St. Johns Conditionally Restricted is expected to decrease by 1.8 days per month, from 2.1 days to 0.3 days per month. Sanitary surveys have been conducted that evaluated current information on pollution sources and bacteriological water quality, and recommend reclassification of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area and the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area.
These amendments place descriptions, references to shellfish harvesting area map numbers and operating criteria for the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area #28 and the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area #92 in the document Shellfish Harvesting Area Classification Boundaries and Management Plans. These documents are hereby incorporated in subsection 5L-1.003(1), F.A.C. Additionally, these amendments provide illustrations of the Suwannee Sound shellfish harvesting area classification boundaries in the shellfish harvesting area maps #28A and #28B, the North St. Johns shellfish harvesting area classification boundaries in the shellfish harvesting area map #92 and the Apalachicola Bay shellfish harvesting area classification boundaries in the shellfish harvesting area map #16B. These maps are hereby incorporated by reference in subsection 5L-1.003(1), F.A.C.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY:

597.020 FS.

LAW:

597.020 FS.

PRINT PUBLISH DATE:

12/29/2006 Vol. 32/52

COMMENTS:

From 12/29/2006 To 1/19/2007 (21 Days)
The public comment period for this notice has already expired.

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

No reference(s).

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