Florida makes it easier for veterans to become commercial fishermen

It will soon be easier for Florida veterans to get into the commercial fishing industry.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has implemented a new program that will modify income requirements for Florida veterans seeking a commercial restricted species endorsement license.

The restricted species endorsement allows commercial harvesters to fish for and sell species that are designated as restricted which includes Spanish and king mackerel, flounder, shrimp, dolphin and several reef fish.

Currently, commercial harvesters attempting to qualify for a restricted species endorsement license must have a Florida Saltwater Products License and be able to attribute $5,000 or 25 percent of their total annual income during one of the past three years to sales of saltwater products.

With the new changes in place, restricted species endorsement income requirements will be waived for one license year for Florida veterans who were honorably discharged between Sept. 11, 2001, and June 30, 2014.

After June 30, 2014, this income requirement waiver will continue to extend to Florida veterans so long as they apply within four years of an honorable discharge.

The one-license-year waiver also extends to honorably discharged veterans with service-connected disabilities.

After the one-year waiver expires, veterans with service-connected disabilities will have a reduced income requirement of $2,500 instead of $5,000.

To qualify for these exemptions, veterans must be certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States Armed Forces to have at least a 10-percent disability that is service-connected.

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