No. SB 988
Filed under Environment & Water.
Taking and Exporting Aquatic Animal Species; Citing this act as the “Marine and Aquatic Native Threatened Animal Protection Act”; prohibiting the taking, possession, transportation, or exportation of endangered, threatened, or vulnerable aquatic animal species from state waters for certain purposes; prohibiting the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission from issuing, renewing, or approving certain licenses; providing penalties, etc.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDA new law bans taking, possessing, transporting, or exporting any endangered, threatened, or vulnerable aquatic species from Florida waters for public display, exhibition, research, or education.
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can no longer issue, renew, or approve any special license that would let someone take a protected species from state waters for those purposes.
Violating the ban is a Level Four offense, and every individual animal taken or exported counts as its own separate violation, multiplying penalties when more than one animal is involved.
The ban does not cover rescue, rehabilitation, or scientific study done under state or federal authorization, and it does not limit federal law like the Endangered Species Act or CITES.
AIA person may not take, attempt to take, possess, transport, or export any endangered, threatened, or vulnerable aquatic animal species from state waters when the purpose is exhibition or education.
AIThe Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission may not issue, renew, or approve a special activity license or any other authorization that would allow the taking of a covered species for the prohibited purposes.
AIA violation is classified as a Level Four violation under s. 379.401, and every individual animal taken or exported in violation of the section is charged as its own separate offense rather than one combined charge.
AIA species qualifies as protected under this section if it is on Florida's official endangered/threatened list or separately classified as endangered or vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, pulling in an international standard beyond the state's own list.
AIThe ban does not prohibit or restrict rescue, rehabilitation, or scientific study of a covered species, so long as the activity is conducted under state or federal authorization consistent with the Endangered Species Act and commission rules.