Latest on the rules governing the sale of frags

[romanr]

I spoke to the FWC folks who had a booth setup up @ MACNA in Orlando. I recommend for anyone who either sells or trades frags whether to individuals or LFS to read this. This will include Frags sold @ frag swaps and auctions.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=17609860&postcount=265

 

[Fishinfool]

Do you know when this is going to come into effect?

 

[stevemc]

It has been this way for years. But it is a kind of grey area with giving stuff away, but not at all on paper or anything like that, so giving it away or trading among club members might be fine. But selling to a store or individual is not allowed unless the proper lic. is held. It is impossible to get a FL sea life collectors permit. Plus you would need a Commercial fishing lic, and a Restricted Species permit, which you can get by selling $5000 worth of saltwater things legally a year, either by selling un-restricted speies, such as bait, through another dealer and he signs an affidavit stating you got those through or with him, or buying a commercial boat with RS already on boat. You can buy a commercial lic, and a wholesalers lic. The government doesnt want the little guy selling, they want the big money. And they want complete control.

 

[Fishinfool]

It has been this way for years. But it is a kind of grey area with giving stuff away, but not at all on paper or anything like that, so giving it away or trading among club members might be fine. But selling to a store or individual is not allowed unless the proper lic. is held. It is impossible to get a FL sea life collectors permit. Plus you would need a Commercial fishing lic, and a Restricted Species permit, which you can get by selling $5000 worth of saltwater things legally a year, either by selling un-restricted speies, such as bait, through another dealer and he signs an affidavit stating you got those through or with him, or buying a commercial boat with RS already on boat. You can buy a commercial lic, and a wholesalers lic. The government doesnt want the little guy selling, they want the big money. And they want complete control.

So hypothetically, I'm taking some frags to Coral Connections to trade and I get pulled over by the police and they see my frags, can they be seized and myself fined?

 

[stevemc]

I would think there would be no problem. Many of us have done the same thing for years. Legally any and all saltwater products have to have a paper trail, or else you caught them and must have the possesion limits and licence to have caught them. Since they wouldnt be local, then you would be off the hook. But by law, you cannot sell them to anyone. Period. Without proper licenses. But trading or trading for store credit has been done, but legaly it is not the way the law says to do it. If you want to sell frags to a store, or anyone, you must have the proper lic, which would be saltwater products lic(used to be called Commercial fishing lic) Aquaculture lic, (they want to know what you will be doing with waste water, and other things, but not too bad. Maybe a wholesale lic, since only a wholesaler can sell to a retailer. But a saltwater products lic holder can only sell to a wholesaler. Possibly because it is a aquacultured item, they most likely have drawn this up on paper. In a nutshell, the government wants all the tax money, and the income tax, and they want to have full control over any moneymaking thing.

 

[Fishinfool]

I would think there would be no problem. Many of us have done the same thing for years. Legally any and all saltwater products have to have a paper trail, or else you caught them and must have the possesion limits and licence to have caught them. Since they wouldnt be local, then you would be off the hook. But by law, you cannot sell them to anyone. Period. Without proper licenses. But trading or trading for store credit has been done, but legaly it is not the way the law says to do it. If you want to sell frags to a store, or anyone, you must have the proper lic, which would be saltwater products lic(used to be called Commercial fishing lic) Aquaculture lic, (they want to know what you will be doing with waste water, and other things, but not too bad. Maybe a wholesale lic, since only a wholesaler can sell to a retailer. But a saltwater products lic holder can only sell to a wholesaler. Possibly because it is a aquacultured item, they most likely have drawn this up on paper. In a nutshell, the government wants all the tax money, and the income tax, and they want to have full control over any moneymaking thing.

Thanks for the knowledge Steve. It seems anymore big brother wants a hold of everything!

 

[Agu]

Found this post while looking for something else.

Friend of mine gave me a form he got from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division Of Aquaculture. It's an Aquaculture Certification Application form for people who want to sell/trade/ barter frags. You have to give a legal address (including section, township, range and county) a description of your facilities (including size, quantity and anticipated production), and a complete list of all livestock produced. That form and $100 gives you the right to frag and sell corals.

Assuming of course you kept all receipts and can prove you're propagating legally collected and purchased corals.