(1)(a) No person, party, firm, association, or corporation shall capture, keep, possess, or exhibit any poisonous or venomous reptile or reptile of concern without first having obtained a special permit or license therefor from the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as provided in this section. . . . (c) It shall be unlawful for any person, party, firm, association, or corporation, whether licensed hereunder or not, to capture, keep, possess, or exhibit any venomous reptile or reptile of concern in any manner not approved as safe, secure, and proper by the commission. . . . (2)(a) No person, party, firm, association, or corporation shall keep, possess, import into the state, sell, barter, trade, or breed the following species for personal use or for sale for personal use: 1. Burmese or Indian python (Python molurus). 2. Reticulated python (Python reticulatus). 3. Northern African python (Python sebae). 4. Southern African python (Python natalensis). 5. Amethystine or scrub python (Morelia amethystinus). 6. Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus). 7. Nile monitor (Varanus niloticus). 8. Any other reptile designated as a conditional or prohibited species by the commission.; (1) In order to provide humane treatment and sanitary surroundings for wild animals kept in captivity, no person, party, firm, association, or corporation shall have, or be in possession of, in captivity for the purpose of public display with or without charge or for public sale any wildlife, specifically birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, whether native to Florida or not, without having first secured a permit from the commission authorizing such person, party, firm, association, or corporation to have in its possession in captivity the species and number of wildlife specified within such permit(,) however, this section does not apply to any wildlife not protected by law and the rules of the commission. No person, party, firm, association, or corporation may sell any wild animal life designated by commission rule as a conditional or prohibited species, Class I or Class II wildlife, reptile of concern, or venomous reptile in this state, including a sale with delivery made in this state, regardless of the origin of the sale or the location of the initial transaction, unless authorized by the commission.; (1) No person, party, firm, or corporation shall exhibit to the public either with or without charge or admission fee any venomous reptile without having first posted a good and sufficient bond in writing in the penal sum of $10,000 payable to the commission, conditioned that such exhibitor will indemnify and save harmless all persons from injury or damage from such venomous reptiles so exhibited and shall fully comply with all laws of the state and all rules and regulations of the commission governing the capturing, keeping, possessing, or exhibiting of venomous reptiles(,) provided, however, that the aggregate liability of the surety for all such injuries or damages shall, in no event, exceed the penal sum of the bond. The surety for the bond must be a surety company authorized to do business under the laws of the state or in lieu of such a surety, cash in the sum of $10,000 may be posted with the commission to ensure compliance with the conditions of the bond.; (1) (a) A person may not take or possess any alligator or the eggs thereof without having been issued an alligator license as provided in this section.; (1) A person may not intentionally kill, injure, possess, or capture, or attempt to kill, injure, possess, or capture, an alligator or other crocodilian, or the eggs of an alligator or other crocodilian, unless authorized by rules of the commission.; (2) Marine animals not to be imported shall include, but are not limited to, all species of the following: (a) Sea snakes (Family Hydrophiidae), except as provided in subsection (4)(,) (b) Weeverfishes (Family Trachinidae)(,) and (c) Stonefishes (Genus Synanceja). . . . (4) A zoological park and aquarium may import sea snakes of the family Hydrophiidae for exhibition purposes only under the following conditions: . . . (h) A zoological park and aquarium possessing sea snakes shall abide by all statutory and regulatory requirements of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission with respect to venomous reptiles. (5) It is unlawful to release into the waters of the state any nonnative saltwater species whether or not included in subsection (2) or prohibited by rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subsection (3) or authorized by subsection (4).; (b) 1. The department shall exempt construction proposed for a location seaward of a coastal construction control line and landward of existing armoring from certain siting and design criteria of this chapter, provided the armoring is capable of protecting the proposed construction from the effects of erosion from a 100-year storm surge. The exemption shall apply to proposed structures involving the foundation, siting, and excavation criteria of this section, except such structures shall be: . . . d. Sited and designed to protect marine turtles. . . . (4)(c) The department may condition the nature, timing, and sequence of construction of permitted activities to provide protection to nesting sea turtles and hatchlings and their habitat, pursuant to s. 379.2431, and to native salt-resistant vegetation and endangered plant communities. . . . (17) The department may grant areawide permits to local governments, other governmental agencies, and utility companies for special classes of activities in areas under their general jurisdiction or responsibility or for the construction of minor structures, if these activities or structures, due to the type, size, or temporary nature of the activity or structure, will not cause measurable interference with the natural functioning of the beach-dune system or with marine turtles or their nesting sites. Such activities or structures must comply with this section and may include, but are not limited to: road repairs, not including new construction(,) utility repairs and replacements, or other minor activities necessary to provide utility services(,) beach cleaning(,) dune restoration(,) on-grade walkovers for enhancing accessibility or use in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act(,) and emergency response. The department shall adopt rules to establish criteria and guidelines for permit applicants. The department shall consult with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on each proposed areawide permit and must require notice provisions appropriate to the type and nature of the activities for which the areawide permits are sought. (18)(a) The department may grant general permits for projects, including dune restoration, dune walkovers, decks, fences, landscaping, sidewalks, driveways, pool resurfacing, minor pool repairs, and other nonhabitable structures, if the projects, due to type, size, or temporary nature, will not cause a measurable interference with the natural functioning of the beach-dune system or with marine turtles or their nesting sites. Multifamily habitable structures do not qualify for general permits. However, single-family habitable structures and swimming pools associated with such single-family habitable structures that do not advance the line of existing construction and satisfy all siting and design requirements of this section, and minor reconstruction for existing coastal armoring structures, may be eligible for a general permit. . . . (21) In accordance with ss. 553.73 and 553.79, and upon the effective date of the Florida Building Code, the provisions of this section which pertain to and govern the design, construction, erection, alteration, modification, repair, and demolition of public and private buildings, structures, and facilities shall be incorporated into the Florida Building Code. The Florida Building Commission may adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536 and 120.54 to administer those provisions. This subsection does not limit or abrogate the right and authority of the department to require permits or to adopt and enforce environmental standards, including, but not limited to, standards for ensuring the protection of the beach-dune system, proposed or existing structures, adjacent properties, marine turtles, native salt-resistant vegetation, endangered plant communities, and the preservation of public beach access.; (1) The department shall develop and maintain a comprehensive long-term management plan for the restoration and maintenance of the state's critically eroded beaches fronting the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Straits of Florida. The beach management plan shall: . . . (i) Identify beach areas used by marine turtles and develop strategies for protection of the turtles and their nests and nesting locations.; (1) Protection of marine turtles.-- (a) This subsection may be cited as the “Marine Turtle Protection Act.” (b) The Legislature intends, pursuant to the provisions of this subsection, to ensure that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has the appropriate authority and resources to implement its responsibilities under the recovery plans of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for the following species of marine turtle: 1. Atlantic loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). 2. Atlantic green turtle (Chelonia mydas). 3. Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea). 4. Atlantic hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata). 5. Atlantic ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempi). (c) As used in this subsection, the following phrases have the following meanings: . . . 2. “Take” means an act that actually kills or injures marine turtles, and includes significant habitat modification or degradation that kills or injures marine turtles by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, such as breeding, feeding, or sheltering. (d) Except as authorized in this paragraph, or unless otherwise provided by the Federal Endangered Species Act or its implementing regulations, a person, firm, or corporation may not knowingly possess, take, disturb, mutilate, destroy, cause to be destroyed, transfer, sell, offer to sell, molest, or harass any marine turtle species or hatchling, or parts thereof, or the eggs or nest of any marine turtle species described in this subsection. The commission may: 1. Issue a special permit or loan agreement to a person, firm, or corporation to possess a marine turtle species or hatchling, or parts thereof, including nests or eggs, for scientific, education, or exhibition purposes, or for conservation activities such as the relocation of nests, eggs, or marine turtles or hatchlings away from construction sites. Notwithstanding other provisions of law, the commission may issue such special permit or loan agreement to a properly accredited person as defined in paragraph (c) for the purposes of marine turtle conservation. 2. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 120 to prescribe terms, conditions, and restrictions for marine turtle conservation, and to permit the possession of marine turtle species or hatchlings, or parts thereof, including nests or eggs.;
Citation: West's F.S.A. § 379.372; West's F.S.A. § 379.3761; West's F.S.A. § 379.374; Fla. Stat. § 379.3751; Fla. Stat. § 379.409; Fla. Stat. § 379.26; West's F.S.A. § 161.053; West's F.S.A. § 161.161; West's F.S.A. § 379.2431;