Florida lobster mini-season begins Wednesday. Here's what to know.
MIAMI – Florida's two-day lobster mini-season officially gets underway Wednesday.
The recreational two-day season starts on July 24 at 12:01 a.m. and ends at 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
The regular lobster season begins August 6 every year and runs through March 31.
NEXT Weather meteorologist Lissette Gonzalez says seas will be 2-3 feet with a moderate chop. The wind will be from the east/southeast at 10 to 15 knots with gusts up to 20 knots.
Spiny lobster
While Florida has three varieties of lobster, state wildlife officials say that most fishermen prefer the Florida spiny lobster, also known as the Caribbean spiny lobster.
The spiny lobster inhabits tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Normally, the best time to catch a Florida spiny lobster is at night since lobsters stay in their dens during daylight hours to avoid predators and only come out after dark to look for food.
Rules and regulations
According to state law, during the two-day sport lobster season, divers and snorkelers can take up to six lobsters per person per day in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, and 12 per person per day for the rest of Florida.
Learn more about bag limits, size limits, where to harvest and other regulations at MyFWC.com. If you plan to lobster in the Keys, another great resource is the Monroe County Tourist Development Council website KeysLobsterSeason.com.
Licenses and spiny lobster permits can be purchased at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. The fishing/lobster combo costs $34.
There are several regulations for lobster harvesting. One is if the carapace or shell of the lobster is not 3 inches or more, you can't take them.
According to the 2023 Florida Statutes, a first conviction for violating lobster season rules can result in a fine of at least $100 and up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both. A second or subsequent conviction within 12 months can result in a fine from $250 to $1,000, up to 6 months in jail, or both.
When lobstering in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device and within 100 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device if near an inlet or navigation channel
Care should be taken around corals and other marine life.
Other Regulations:
- Divers must possess a measuring device and lobsters must be measured in the water.
- Taking egg-bearing females is prohibited.
- The spiny lobsters must remain in whole condition until they are brought to shore. Any device that might puncture, penetrate, or crush the shell of the lobster may not be used.
- Night diving is not allowed in Monroe County during the two-day sport season.
- Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season. At all times, harvest of lobster is prohibited in Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, no-take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in the Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, and in the five Coral Reef Protection Areas in Biscayne National Park.
- Safety equipment such as flares, life jackets and fire extinguishers are required to be on board the vessel.
- Dive flags must measure at least 20 x 24 inches and be mounted on the highest point of a boat or at least 12 x 12 inches if the flag is in the water.
Click Here for more lobster mini-season rules and regulations from the FWC.
