MIAMI – Florida’s spiny lobster mini-season began at midnight Wednesday and runs through Thursday, and state officers said they are ready to enforce the rules.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials warned violators they could face jail time and fines upwards of $500. Participants must be licensed.
One of the rules to remember is that the lobster’s carapace, meaning the body and head of the lobster, must be at least three inches long. The lobster must be in the whole condition. Egg-bearing lobsters are prohibited. Boaters must maintain a distance of at least 300 feet from dive flags in the ocean.
Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, 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.
Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park; 12 per person for the rest of Florida
Possession limit on the water: equal to the daily bag limit
Possession limit off the water: equal to the daily bag limit on the first day and double the daily bag limit on the second day
Possession limits are enforced on and off the water.
Minimum Size Limit: Possession and use of a measuring device is required at all times. Find out how to measure a spiny lobster.
Night Diving: Prohibited in Monroe County (ONLY during sport season) Diving is defined as swimming at or below the surface of the water.
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission