Taking and possession of alligators; trapping licenses; fees.

(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. The license shall be dated when issued and remain valid for 12 months after the date of issuance and shall authorize the person to whom it is issued to take or possess alligators and their eggs, and to sell, possess, and process alligators and their hides and meat, in accordance with law and commission rules. The license is not transferable and is not valid unless it bears on its face in indelible ink the name of the person to whom it is issued. The license shall be in the personal possession of the licensee while the licensee is taking alligators or their eggs or is selling, possessing, or processing alligators or their eggs, hides, or meat. The failure of the licensee to exhibit the license to a commission law enforcement officer, when the licensee is found taking alligators or their eggs or is found selling, possessing, or processing alligators or their eggs, hides, or meat, is a violation of law.

(b) A person who has been convicted of any violation of s. 379.3015 or s. 379.409 or rules of the commission relating to the illegal taking of crocodilian species may not be issued a license for a period of 5 years subsequent to such conviction. If a violation involves the unauthorized taking of an endangered crocodilian species, a license may not be issued for 10 years subsequent to the conviction.

(c) An alligator trapping license is not required for a person taking nuisance alligators pursuant to a contract with the commission. A person assisting contracted nuisance alligator trappers, unless otherwise exempt under paragraph (d) or paragraph (e), must possess an alligator trapping license or an alligator trapping agent license as provided in subsection (2).

(d) An alligator trapping agent license is not required for a child under 16 years of age taking alligators under an alligator harvest program implemented by commission rule.

(e) An alligator trapping license or alligator trapping agent license is not required for a person taking alligators under a military or disabled veterans event permit issued by the commission pursuant to s. 379.353(2)(q).

(f) An alligator trapping license or alligator trapping agent license shall be issued without fee to any disabled resident who meets the requirements of s. 379.353(1).

(g) A person engaged in the taking of alligators under any permit issued by the commission which authorizes the taking of alligators is not required to possess a management area permit under s. 379.354(8).

(2) The license and issuance fee, and the activity authorized thereby, shall be as follows:

(a) The annual fee for issuance of a resident alligator trapping license, which permits a resident of the state to take alligators occurring in the wild other than alligator hatchlings, to possess and process alligators taken under authority of such alligator trapping license or otherwise legally acquired, and to possess, process, and sell their hides and meat, shall be $250.

(b) The annual fee for issuance of a nonresident alligator trapping license, which permits a person other than a resident of the state to take alligators occurring in the wild other than alligator hatchlings, to possess and process alligators taken under authority of such alligator trapping license, and to possess, process, and sell their hides and meat, shall be $1,000.

(c) The annual fee for issuance of an alligator trapping agent’s license, which permits a person to act as an agent of any person who has been issued a resident or nonresident alligator trapping license as provided in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) and to take alligators occurring in the wild other than alligator hatchlings, to possess and process alligators taken under authority of such agency relationship, and to possess, process, and sell their hides and meat, shall be $50.

(d) The annual fee for issuance of an alligator farming license, which permits a person to operate a facility for captive propagation of alligators, to possess alligators for captive propagation, to take alligator hatchlings and alligator eggs occurring in the wild, to rear such alligators, alligator hatchlings, and alligator eggs in captivity, to process alligators taken or possessed under authority of such alligator farming license or otherwise legally acquired, and to possess, process, and sell their hides and meat, shall be $250.

(e) The annual fee for issuance of an alligator farming agent’s license, which permits a person to act as an agent of any person who has been issued an alligator farming license as provided in paragraph (d) and to take alligator hatchlings and alligator eggs occurring in the wild, to possess and process alligators taken under authority of such agency relationship, and to possess, process, and sell their hides and meat, shall be $50.

(f) The annual fee for issuance of an alligator processor’s license, which permits a person to buy and process alligators lawfully taken by alligator trapping licenseholders and taken or possessed by alligator farming licenseholders and to sell alligator meat, hides, and other parts, shall be $250.

(3) For the purpose of this section, “process” shall mean the possession and skinning or butchering of an alligator by someone other than the holder of the alligator trapping license, alligator trapping agent’s license, alligator farming license, or alligator farming agent’s license who has authorized the taking and possession of such alligator.

(4) A person may not take any alligator egg occurring in the wild or possess any such egg unless the person has obtained, or is a licensed agent of another person who has obtained, an alligator egg collection permit. The alligator egg collection permit shall be required in addition to the alligator farming license provided in paragraph (2)(d). The commission may assess a fee for issuance of the alligator egg collection permit of up to $5 per egg authorized to be taken or possessed pursuant to such permit. Contingent upon an annual appropriation for alligator marketing and education activities, $1 per egg collected and retained, excluding eggs collected on private wetland management areas, shall be transferred from the alligator management program to the General Inspection Trust Fund, to be administered by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the purpose of providing marketing and education services with respect to alligator products produced in this state, notwithstanding other provisions in this chapter.

(5) A person who violates this section commits a Level Two violation under s. 379.401.