"Carol B. Simpson" wrote:
>
> According to the Skipper of the Island Hopper, live shelling is also banned
> in Levy county - in Cedar Key.  He told us we could take sand dollars live,
> though.  He also told us that live shelling was banned in the entire state of
> Florida.
>
> Carol

He is wrong. See Florida code, Chapter 68B-26.

"Live shellfish" is defined as "any living mollusk (Phylum Mollusca) or
echinoderm (Phylum Echinodermata), excluding oysters (Crassostrea
virginica), hard clams (Mercenaris spp.), and sunray venus clams
(Macrocallista nimbosa), bay scallops (Argopecten irradians), and
coquinas (Genus Donax).

The law groups sand dollars with gastropods.

There have been, for several years, restrictions which remain:

Lee county: prohibition of harvest of more than two live per species per
day; posession at any time of more than two live of any species. (to be
changed 2/28/02)

City of Sanibel & town of Ft. Myers: no harvest at any time of live
shellfish.

Manatee county: same as Lee county.

All no-take areas prohibit live shelling.

Many of the sanctuaries prohibit taking of shells, live or dead.

Pink conchs (S. gigas) have a chapter of their own that basically says
no, anytime, anywhere, live or dead.

Elsewhere and otherwise, if you have a Florida salt water fishing
license, live shells may be taken without restriction.

m