# Fla. Stat. § 379.248: 379.248 Sponges; regulation > Florida · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.248 ## Section - **Citation:** Fla. Stat. § 379.248 - **Heading:** 379.248 Sponges; regulation - **Jurisdiction:** Florida - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Florida Code / Title XXVIII / Chapter 379 / Part II / Section 379.248 ## Text (1) NONRESIDENT LICENSE; SPONGE FISHING. — Any nonresident of the state, who desires to engage in the business or occupation of sponge fishing, either for that person or any other person, shall, before entering into said business or occupation, procure a nonresident saltwater products license issued in the name of an individual or to a valid boat registration pursuant to s. 379.361. (2) USE AND SIZE OF HOOKS. — Any person engaged in gathering sponges by use of a hook shall use a hook 5 inches wide for the purpose of removing sponges from the bottom, and no hook of other dimensions may be used. (3) TAKING, POSSESSING COMMERCIAL; SIZE. — (a) No person may take, by any means or method, from the waters of the Gulf of America, the straits of this state or the other waters within the territorial limits of this state, any commercial sponges, measuring, when wet, less than 5 inches in their maximum diameter. (b) To make effective the foregoing subsection it is further provided that no person may land, cure, deliver, offer for sale, sell, or have in his or her possession, within the territorial limits of this state, or upon any boat, vessel, or vehicle, other than those operated interstate by common carriers, within the territorial limits of this state, any commercial sponges measuring, when wet, less than 5 inches in their maximum diameter. (c) The presence of commercial sponges within the territorial limits of this state, or upon any boat, vessel, or vehicle, other than those operated interstate by common carriers, within the territorial limits of this state, measuring, when wet, less than 5 inches in their maximum diameter, shall be evidence that the person having such sponges in his or her possession has violated this section. (4) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION. — The commission is authorized and empowered to make, promulgate, and put into effect all rules and regulations which the commission may consider and decide to be necessary to accomplish the purpose of this chapter for the taking and cultivation of sponges, including the power and authority to determine and fix, in its discretion, the seasons and period of time within which public state grounds may be closed to the taking, possessing, buying, selling, or transporting of sponges from the sponge cultivation districts herein provided for and to regulate and prescribe the means and methods to be employed in the harvesting thereof; however, notice of all rules, regulations, and orders, and all revisions and amendments thereto, prescribing closed seasons or prescribing the means and methods of harvesting sponges adopted by the commission shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the conservation district affected within 10 days from the adoption thereof, in addition to any notice required by chapter 120. (5) COOPERATION WITH UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE. — The commission shall cooperate with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, under existing federal laws, rules and regulations, and is authorized to accept donations, grants and matching funds from said federal government under such conditions as are reasonable and proper, for the purposes of carrying out this chapter, and the commission is further authorized to accept any and all donations including funds and loan of vessels. (6) PENALTY. — Any person violating any of the foregoing provisions shall, for the second offense, be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084, and by the confiscation of all boats, tackle and equipment used in the commission of such violation. History: s. 2, ch. 28145, 1953; ss. 10, 25, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 299, ch. 71-136; s. 23, ch. 78-95; s. 6, ch. 83-134; s. 2, ch. 84-121; ss. 15, 17, ch. 85-234; s. 5, ch. 86-219; ss. 17, 19, ch. 86-240; ss. 8, 12, ch. 89-98; s. 4, ch. 89-116; s. 564, ch. 95-148; s. 111, ch. 99-245; s. 80, ch. 2008-247; s. 51, ch. 2025-8. ## Nearby sections - [Fla. Stat. § 379.25 379.25 Sale of unlawfully landed product; jurisdiction.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.25.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.26 379.26 Illegal importation or possession of nonindigenous marine plants and animals; rules and regulations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.26.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.244 379.244 Crustacea, marine animals, fish; regulations; general provisions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.244.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.245 379.245 Spiny lobster reports by dealers during closed season required.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.245.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.246 379.246 Tortugas shrimp beds; gifted and loan property.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.246.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.247 379.247 Regulation of shrimp fishing; Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam, Flagler, and St. Johns Counties.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.247.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.248 379.248 Sponges; regulation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.248.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.249 379.249 Artificial reef program; grants and financial and technical assistance to local governments.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.249.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2401 379.2401 Marine fisheries; policy and standards.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2401.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2402 379.2402 Marine information system.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2402.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2411 379.2411 Saltwater fish; regulations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2411.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2412 379.2412 State preemption of power to regulate.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2412.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2413 379.2413 Catching food fish for the purposes of making oil.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2413.md) - [Fla. Stat. § 379.2421 379.2421 Fishers and equipment; regulation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.2421.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_FL_TXXVIII_C379_PII_S379.248. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.