Lobster Trap
State wildlife commissioners adopted new rules Thursday to help fishermen who trap spiny lobster, stone crab and blue crabs recover their traps after hurricanes and other major storms. The rules would allow licensed trappers to designate people to recover and possess their traps when the governor and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission declare an emergency. The rules also exempt local, state or federal officials from having to get Commission approval before removing traps and trap debris from areas where trapping is prohibited. Commissioners also approved rules to allow sport fishermen to use fold-up blue crab traps up to one cubic foot in volume that are not necessarily pyramid-shaped and delete a current provision limiting the base panel of fold-up traps to one square foot.