does anyone know if its permissable..

[don954]

to place about 200-300lbs of artificial live rock into a crab-trap (with the sock closed so no crabs can enter) and drop it just outside the official charted "fish haven" areas of a reef? To allow it to aquaculture with natural Florida reef critters.

 

[nyvp]

As long as you cant get anything stuck in there I wouldnt think you would have a problem. Also as long as it doesnt have your business card attached how would you get caught?

 

[Ludwigia73]

Placing the live rock as long as it doesn't pose a navigational hazard probably wouldn't be a problem. As soon as it hits the sea floor, however, it becomes "live rock" which is completely forbidden to take without a special permit. It doesn't matter if you put it there, it is illegal to take.

I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong... let's hear some input!

 

[chrisaggie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7886267#post7886267 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ludwigia73
Placing the live rock as long as it doesn't pose a navigational hazard probably wouldn't be a problem. As soon as it hits the sea floor, however, it becomes "live rock" which is completely forbidden to take without a special permit. It doesn't matter if you put it there, it is illegal to take.

I'm sure someone will say I'm wrong... let's hear some input!

I agree 100%. You can't take live rock, even if you put it there.

 

[don954]

well.. if its in a crab trap it never is on the sand, so its not legal live rock? I bet the dang costies wont buy that one...

 

[chrisaggie]

There is a legal defenition of live rock some where out there. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[ek9vboi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7886383#post7886383 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by don954
well.. if its in a crab trap it never is on the sand, so its not legal live rock? I bet the dang costies wont buy that one...

lol, nice try but i doubt the law would be on your side. they would have a nice laugh and throw the book at you. They might go as far as to say you were trying to catch crabs (lol ) illegally without proper permits. Plenty of wats for the law to have the upper hand.

 

[itz frank]

well... unless you attached a bright orange booey(sp?) or neon arrow sign how would they find the crab trap. Or even ontop of that, if they found it how would they find the person who put it there. From what people are saying i don't think it'd be legal but i'm not an expert on the subject. If you're willing to lose 300 lbs of liverock to the sea or law enforcement then go for it.

 

[chrisaggie]

You very well be able to put the crab trap out for many months and go back out and get it. If they catch you on the way back to the boat ramp or at the ramp boy are you gonna be in trouble. You can kiss your boat goodby!

 

[jeffbrig]

Special permits are required to aquaculture live rock, and only on designated aquaculture sites (leased from the state, if memory serves). If you attempt to DIY, you run a significant risk (boat, equipment, tow vehicle, etc.) if anyone sees you harvest it, or finds it in your possession.

 

[thesaent14]

i smell a lawyer coming to you case lol don't you worry i know a really good who got some one out of 1000p of rock lol

 

[cschweitzer]

Boo on that lawyer...no offense, but those laws are there for a reason, and they're not to screw us hobbyists over. At the same time, putting your own rock into the ocean should not(probably is, but should not) be illegal or any kind of offense. If you are putting base rock out there in a confined area without chance of contamination or release into the wild, you should be able to collect it. To that person caught taking 1000lbs of LR from our ocean, shame on you. That is our ocean, not your aquarium. When we go out and see no corals, we know why.