1998 Florida Code
TITLE XXIV VESSELS
Chapter 327 Vessels: Registration And Safety  
327.28   Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund; vessel registration funds; appropriation and distribution.

327.28  Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund; vessel registration funds; appropriation and distribution.--

(1)  Except as otherwise specified and less any administrative costs, all funds collected from the registration of vessels through the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the tax collectors of the state shall be deposited in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund for recreational channel marking; public launching facilities; law enforcement and quality control programs; aquatic weed control; manatee protection, recovery, rescue, rehabilitation, and release; and marine mammal protection and recovery. The funds collected pursuant to s. 327.25(1) shall be transferred as follows:

(a)  In each fiscal year, an amount equal to $1 for each vessel registered in this state shall be transferred to the Save the Manatee Trust Fund for manatee and marine mammal research, protection, and recovery in accordance with the provisions of s. 370.12(5)(a).

(b)  In addition, in each fiscal year, an amount equal to 50 cents for each vessel registered in this state shall be transferred to the Save the Manatee Trust Fund in accordance with the provisions of s. 370.12(5)(b) for use by those facilities approved to rescue, rehabilitate, and release manatees as authorized pursuant to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior.

(c)  Two dollars from each noncommercial vessel registration fee, except that for class A-1 vessels, shall be transferred to the Aquatic Plant Control Trust Fund for aquatic weed research and control.

(d)  Forty percent of the registration fees from commercial vessels shall be used for law enforcement and quality control programs.

(e)  Forty percent of the registration fees from commercial vessels shall be transferred to the Aquatic Plant Control Trust Fund for aquatic plant research and control.

(2)  All funds collected pursuant to s. 370.06(2) shall be deposited in the Marine Resources Conservation Trust Fund. Such funds shall be used to pay the cost of implementing the saltwater products license program. Additional proceeds from the licensing revenue shall be distributed among the following program functions:

(a)  No more than 15 percent nor less than the amount deposited in the former Marine Fisheries Commission Trust Fund pursuant to this subsection in fiscal year 1987-1988 shall go to the Marine Fisheries Commission for its operations;

(b)  No more than 15 percent shall go to law enforcement;

(c)  No more than 25 percent shall go to the Florida Saltwater Products Promotion Trust Fund within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the purpose of providing marketing and extension services including industry information and education; and

(d)  The remainder, but at least 45 percent, shall go to the Division of Marine Resources, for use in marine research and statistics development, including quota management.

History.--s. 1, ch. 59-399; s. 2, ch. 61-119; s. 1, ch. 63-105; s. 1, ch. 65-361; ss. 12, 25, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 1, ch. 69-400; s. 5, ch. 70-336; s. 5, ch. 74-327; s. 1, ch. 77-174; s. 11, ch. 83-134; s. 10, ch. 84-184; s. 67, ch. 84-338; s. 2, ch. 85-108; s. 6, ch. 89-168; s. 4, ch. 89-250; s. 3, ch. 90-219; s. 2, ch. 91-199; s. 35, ch. 92-151; s. 157, ch. 94-356; s. 32, ch. 95-146; s. 55, ch. 95-333; s. 17, ch. 96-321.

Note.--Former s. 371.171.