# Question about FAD's(Fish Aggregation Device)



## Gone Fishin' Too (Oct 3, 2007)

I went out with a friend on Sunday and saw a corner of something white bobbing up and down in the waves. At first it looked like a capsized boat with just the bow 1 foot out of the water. I went over to check it out and soon realized it was a FAD (Fish Aggregation Device ). It must have been put there recently because the pvc and the rope looked brand new. It appeared to be 8 x 8 or 10 x 10 pvc square tied up and covered with a tarp.It was floating straight up and down so just the corner was visible at the water-line. I could not tell if the structure was anchored to the bottom or not. It was floating maybe a mile off the beach so I am assuming that it is for the upcoming cobia season. I am still new to boating and never seen a FAD before. This one seemed to be very dangerous to navigation. I would imagine it would do a great deal of damage to the outboard if you ran across it. I was thankful that conditions allowed me to see it from a distance. Are these legal to place in Florida waters?


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## seanspots (Oct 4, 2007)

no.


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## Cuz (Oct 1, 2007)

Nope they are not legal, but they sure do work! Don't get me wrong on this but I have found them before and they hold a lot of cobes.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

they aren't legal and they are supposed to be about 15' down so no one can find it and no one ruins a motor running over it. Some pinhead didn't anchor it properly.

By the way it is a fish attracting device.


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## 1923 (Oct 3, 2007)

I was told by the FWC office in Tall. that they are legal, however you have to stay "close by" otherwise it is concidered an illegal deployed reef. I didn't even ask what the fine would be if left unattended. It was suggested that if you want , anchor offshore and tether it off your stern within casting range, and let them come to you.. FWIW


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## rubberboat (Oct 2, 2007)

I take mine with me and bring it back works for me


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## Gone Fishin' Too (Oct 3, 2007)

What kind of materials would be used for a portable FAD that would be easy to assemble and take apart from spot to spot? I thought I read somewhere that you could be in trouble if you were stopped by FWC and had the materials to build a FAD in your possession like the one I described above in the original post.


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

Give me the numbers and I will go anchor it properly


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## Lil' Scout (Oct 1, 2007)

FAD?! What FAD?:mmmbeer


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## jamessig (Oct 3, 2007)

I think if you have materials to build an artificial bottomreef (i.e concrete and steel) and don't have a permit you're in trouble. FADs are bouyant and meant to be suspended at or near the surface.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

No idea about FADS but Sunday there was a HUGE sea anchor with 4" straps on it just below the surface about 9 miles out. We had no idea what it was at first, but we wished it was summer so we could catch a cooler o chickens!!! 



Gone Fishin Too, we saw you at the russian freighter sunday...we were in the green and white pilot house.


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