coral collecting

[normanfine]

Thank you very much. Is it legal to collect coral and rock as well and I guess I need a special permit to do so.

Thanks

 

[thorsen]

where are you collecting from? I know you can get a permit to collect fish here in the states. I don't think you can collect corals though.

 

[thorsen]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1216928

 

[thor32766]

yes check your local state regulations.

 

[MR PALM BEACH]

Dont even think about It In the Keys, you get caught down there they dont play around. Could end up In jail! thats no joke!

 

[normanfine]

Thankyou all very much for the information. Definitely not looking to do anything illegal. I will check with the state regulations until then I will stay clear of collecting.

Thanks,
Norman

 

[roblack]

You really cannot legally collect coral in the U.S. Forget about it, I have checked. A few people have old permits, no new ones are issued, and it is only for zoas, rics, and sea fans. NO Stonies allowed ever, from my understanding, and you cannot trade or sell these corals if you did come across them.

 

[normanfine]

Good too know. I checked the sc wildlife regulations online and found nothing but I kinda thought what you are telling me to be the case. Is it feasible to consider collecting somewhere else on vacation and shipping back into the states even a possibility and has anyone ever done this. Just curious, I do know fish is ok with a liscence.

Thanks everyone for your insight,
Norman

 

[icy1155]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10921632#post10921632 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by roblack
You really cannot legally collect coral in the U.S. Forget about it, I have checked. A few people have old permits, no new ones are issued, and it is only for zoas, rics, and sea fans. NO Stonies allowed ever, from my understanding, and you cannot trade or sell these corals if you did come across them.

Actually, you should check your information. The no stonies ever part is true, but to collect rics, zoas, softies, gorgonians, and most fish/inverts all you need is a saltwater fishing licence in the state of florida. You are limited to 20 organisms a day, no more than 6 or 8 (i cant remember exactly) of which can be octocorals (ie. gorgonians and most softies other than rics and zoas.)

Hope this helps

 

[normanfine]

icy1155,

Thanks I will check with DNR. Why can you not collect the stonies in the states. What is the big deal about protecting them but allowing the collection of the others.

Thanks,
Norman

 

[icy1155]

In the US all stony corals are protected because they are such slow growers and they can be quickly impacted by collection, where as the soft corals can rapidly spread, so they theorize that there is less impact on the enviroment due to their collection, as opposed to if everyone was able to take a boat out and collect a colony of sps.

 

[normanfine]

That makes since, I have heard every inch of an sps is about 10 years of growth give or take.

Thanks for the advise,
Norman

 

[roblack]

I actually checked with the state, and I don't recommend collecting corals with just a fishing license. Additionally, most reef fish are protected species and are not legal to collect. There are good reasons for this, and with the reefs in such bad shape down here, why not just buy Pacific corals and fish?

 

[normanfine]

Hey thanks for the reply Roblack,

I actually went out for the first time this sat and it was amazing. I was not really planning on collecting anything soon but I thought maybe it would be nice to collect things personally for a tank at home. What do you think there opinion is on bleached corals with no coloration to be collected as decoration only. I was also wondering about different species of invertebrates. Just curious even though I probably will not be doing this for a couple of years so I am sure things will change so this is just for my own education if nothing else. Has anyone been able to catch in other areas and have the species shipped to a local area in good health?

Thanks,
Norman

 

[roblack]

I don't think it matters if it is bleaching, unless you pick it up on the beach. We sometimes get coral skeletons washing up on miami beach after storms. There are a couple of people who sell on Ebay that I believe have permits to collect coral, fish, and inverts. You might try getting in touch with one of them. Do a search for "live coral" and see who is selling FL species (rics, gorgonias, neon gobies, coral banded shrimp, etc.) They might be able to direct you better. Good luck and stay out of trouble

 

[normanfine]

Roblack,

Thanks for all the advise. I will make sure I do some more research on the matter before hand.

Thanks everyone,
Norman

 

[Rossini]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10923181#post10923181 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by normanfine
icy1155,

Thanks I will check with DNR. Why can you not collect the stonies in the states. What is the big deal about protecting them but allowing the collection of the others.

Thanks,
Norman

Because most of the stony corals are endangered. :mad2:

 

[Zooguy]

why you cant get hard corals

why you cant get hard corals

20 years ago in fla there was coral everywhere, in the last 20 years the reefs have declined 95% when i was a kid I lived in the keys and the reefs were awsome. Now you go there and the only coral you see is brain coral and its in patches the rest of the reef looks like a bomb went off. Everthing is dead and a wastland.
You can get certain fish and soft stuff with a fishing licence. but there is a list of takes and no takes.
I went to the beach here in West Palm after a storm and found a rock with a brain coral colony on it and quickly tossed it in my tank. Its ok now and probaly the only way you can get coral in fla from the ocean.

 

[normanfine]

Everyone has given me such great advise. It sounds to me like coral propagation from aquacultured corals is the way to go to prevent the depletion of the nature reefs minus the mast bleaching of reefs for some unknown reason. Thanks again for everyone's advise on the coral collecting topic. I am now curious of invertebrates like starfish, sea urchins, cucumbers, etc.

Thanks,
Norman

 

[icy1155]

http://myfwc.com/marine/recreational/recharvestmls.htm

For all those skeptics who say you cant do it with a saltwater fishing licence in florida. That site tells exactly what you can collect and how many of each. Hopefully you can find something like this for your state.