SCTC News Bulletins!
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RENEW YOUR BUSINESS TAX RECEIPT ONLINE!
The office of the Seminole County Tax Collector now accepts VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express for
business owners to renew their Business Tax Receipt online. Click here to visit our online payments section.
Vehicle and Vessel News 
Specialty License Plate Gift Certificate Program
On behalf of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles we are pleased to inform you about an exciting opportunity for your organization as well as for Florida motorists. The Department has authorized the issuance of specialty license plate gift certificates. This new program allows anyone to purchase a specialty license plate as a gift for a motor vehicle registrant.
This new gift certificate program works much like any gift certificate. Upon payment of the statutorily authorized annual use fee, a gift certificate may now be purchased at an authorized motor vehicle office (e.g., state motor vehicle office, local tax collector office, or licensed tag agent) for any of the specialty license plates currently available in Florida. At the time of purchase, a receipt will be provided and a credit will be issued in the name of the gift recipient, which can then be redeemed by the recipient at the time the specialty license plate is purchased. You do not have to purchase and redeem the certificate at the same office. The gift certificate is not required to be presented to redeem the credit, just proper identification (i.e. Florida driver’s license or ID card). Once a gift certificate is purchased, the money is given to the sponsoring plate entity as specified by Florida Statutes. Therefore, refunds are not available for gift certificates.
We believe that specialty license plates will make great gifts, and that this new program will provide a great opportunity to promote the many causes and organizations represented by the plates. Please remember that in Florida, most registrations are renewed on the birth date of the registrant, so these gift certificates can also be a great birthday gift.
NEED YOUR TITLE TODAY?
Just visit any one of our 4 office locations for an original title, title transfer or duplicate title while you wait. There is an additional fee of $7.00 for this service.
If you are not the owner of the vehicle, a notarized Power of Attorney form is required.
TWO-YEAR REGISTRATION ANNOUNCEMENT
Effective January 1, 2008, most Florida residents will be able to purchase an extended registration for their vehicles.
This extended registration period is for twenty-four (24) months. The fee is double the regular twelve (12) month fee and
non-refundable for any unused portion under any circumstances.
Hunting News
RESIDENT MILITARY GOLD SPORTSMAN'S LICENSE
In appreciation of our residents who are serving or have served in the armed forces, the Resident Military
Gold Sportsman's License will be available for purchase at tax collector’s offices only .It will have the same privileges as the current Resident Gold Sportsman's License, but at a reduced cost, and
it can only be purchased by Florida residents who are either active or retired military.This license may not be purchased by military dependents .The Resident Military Gold Sportsman's License is good for one year from the selected start date and will
include the following privileges: Hunting, Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing Licenses and Wildlife Management
Area, Archery, Crossbow, Muzzleloading Gun, Turkey and Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Crawfish Permits.
The cost is $20.00.
You must provide a valid Florida driver’s license or military orders showing that you are stationed in Florida as proof of residency and one of the ID cards referenced (white, blue or red) as proof of active or retired status.
Fresh and Saltwater Fishing News
MEASURING SALTWATER FISH CORRECTLY GETS EASIER
A standard way for anglers to measure saltwater fish accurately against size restrictions takes effect July 1. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is implementing a series of rules approved last year to clarify and standardize how to measure the total length of saltwater fish. Saltwater fish are divided into two categories. Fish that have “flat” or irregularly shaped tails are measured by “total length.” Fish that have forked or angled tails are commonly measured by “fork length.”
New rules provide that saltwater fish that are regulated by total length must be measured by determining
the straight-line distance from the most forward point of the head with the mouth closed, to the farthest tip
of the tail with the tail compressed or squeezed together, while the fish is lying on its side.
This method is sometimes called “squeezing” or “pinching” the fish tail, which essentially involves
measuring the maximum possible length of the fish. The total length measurement is used to measure the snapper and grouper family, red and black drum,
snook, spotted seatrout, weakfish, tripletail, bonefish, sheepshead, flounder and a variety of aquarium
species (such as angelfish).
No change has been made to “fork length” fish, which should still be measured to the rear center edge,
or “V,” of the tail. They include amberjacks and rudderfish, hogfish, dolphin, cobia, mullet, bluefish, king
and Spanish mackerel, permit, pompano, African pompano and gray triggerfish.
More information on how to properly measure saltwater fish is available online at
http://www.myfwc.com/marine/Fishing_Measurement.htm .
FWC LOWERS GULF RED GROUPER RECREATIONAL BAG LIMIT
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) today approved a rule that lowers the
recreational bag limit for red grouper in Gulf of Mexico state waters from two fish daily per person to one fish.
The new limit takes effect in January.
The FWC wants to help ensure that a 10-year rebuilding plan for the overfished Gulf red grouper fishery
is successful. The FWC expects the reduced bag limit to result in a 30-percent annual reduction in Gulf
red grouper recreational harvest.
Today, Florida anglers may harvest two red grouper daily in Gulf state waters (out to nine nautical miles
from shore). In federal waters, which extend beyond state waters, all recreational harvest of red grouper
is currently prohibited until Jan. 1 under a temporary federal rule. When federal waters reopen to red grouper
harvest in January, a one-fish daily limit also will apply.
The recreational five-fish daily aggregate grouper bag limit and the 20-inch total length minimum size
limit for red grouper remain unchanged in both state and federal waters.
For further information on grouper management in Florida, see MyFWC.com/marine/grouper.
FWC STREAMLINES TRIPLOID GRASS CARP PERMITTING PROCESS
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has simplified the permitting process for
using triploid grass carp, a non-native fish, for controlling undesirable aquatic plants.
Applicants for triploid grass carp permits now can apply online and receive permits immediately if they
meet FWC criteria. Existing permit holders also can reprint or view the number of carp remaining on their
permits.Customers can apply online at http://floridafisheries.com/permits/carp.html.
Applicants who do not have computer access or need other assistance can contact Sharon Anthony at
the FWC’s Eustis Fisheries Research Office at (352) 742-6438 or contact a lake management company.
NEW RED GROUPER, DOLPHIN AND WAHOO RULES NOW IN EFFECT
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reminds anglers that new rules are now in
effect to manage red grouper, dolphin and Wahoo.The daily recreational bag limit for red grouper now is two fish per person (within the five-fish aggregate
grouper limit) in Gulf of Mexico state waters. This limit also applies in Gulf federal waters. Florida state
waters extend nine nautical miles offshore in the gulf, and federal waters extend beyond state waters.
The new limit on recreational red grouper harvest is intended to help rebuild red grouper stocks in the gulf.
The minimum size limit for red grouper remains at 20 inches total length, and the daily recreational bag
limit in Atlantic Ocean state waters is still five fish per person (under the five-grouper aggregate limit).
In addition, new management rules are in place for dolphin and Wahoo. These rules are intended to be consistent with recently implemented regulations for dolphin and Wahoo in Atlantic Ocean federal waters,
which were developed to prevent over-fishing of these species. The FWC has also implemented other
measures to protect dolphin and Wahoo in state waters.
The new rules:
- Designate dolphin and Wahoo as restricted species.
- Establish a 20-inch fork length minimum size limit for all harvest of dolphin on Florida's Atlantic coast.
- Establish a statewide maximum recreational harvest limit of 60 dolphin per vessel (except 10 dolphin per paying
passenger on for-hire vessels) - Establish a statewide daily two-fish recreational bag limit and a 500-pound commercial daily vessel limit for Wahoo.
- Require commercial vessels, harvesting dolphin and Wahoo on the Atlantic coast, to have a federal permit.
- Prohibit the sale of recreationally caught dolphin or Wahoo (except qualified for-hire vessels may sell recreationally
harvested dolphin). - Require all dolphin and Wahoo to be landed in a whole condition.
Other FWC rules that continue to apply for dolphin include prohibiting the commercial harvest and sale of dolphin less than 20 inches fork length, a 10-fish daily bag limit for recreational harvest of dolphin and limiting dolphin harvest to hook and line, long lines (outside of state waters) and spearing.
FWC APPROVES NEW RULES FOR STONE CRAB AND BLUE CRAB
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved a series of rules regarding the
stone crab and blue crab fisheries.
The new rules prohibit blue crab trapping beyond three miles from shore in the area north and west of the
Suwannee River Sept. 20 - Oct. 4 each year. Commissioners approved the action to prevent use of blue crab
traps to target stone crabs prior to the start of the stone crab trap soak season, which will begin Oct. 5.
The rules also prohibit the use of all traps in the stone crab-shrimp trawl seasonal closure areas in Citrus and
Hernando counties where stone crab traps are not allowed during certain times each year. These closure
areas were originally developed to eliminate conflicts between shrimp and stone crab fishermen in these
counties, and the new rule is intended to ensure fishermen will not be able to avoid compliance with area
season closures by using trap gear for other fisheries.
Another new rule repeals an obsolete law that limits the number of stone crab traps that fishermen can use from
vessels in Citrus, Dixie, Levy and Taylor counties.
In addition, new rules extend the Stone Crab Advisory Board through June 30, 2008 as an advisory board only
and adjust the board’s membership qualifications and prohibit partial payment of stone crab trap certificate fees.
