Spiny Lobster

There are two Seasons for Spiny Lobster Lobster Spiny Lobster Sport Season and Regular Spiny Lobster Season

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[tab title=Sport]Season: July 26-27, 2023 (last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July each year)

Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park; 12 per person for 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: Carapace must be larger than 3″, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device 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.

Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season and 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 during both the 2-day sport season and regular season.

Florida Keys/Monroe County Information

Regulations for Recreational Harvest and Lobster Information for Monroe County
Monroe County Lobster Brochure
Monroe County Spearfishing
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Call 305-852-7717 or visit http://floridakeys.noaa.gov for information about no take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Please call the FWC Marathon office at 305-289-2320.

Other Prohibitions

Unless exempt, a recreational saltwater fishing license and a lobster permit are required to harvest spiny lobster
Lobster must be landed in whole condition.

Separating the tail from the body is prohibited in state waters.

The harvest or possession of eggbearing spiny lobster, or any other eggbearing species of lobster belonging to the families Palinuridae (spiny lobsters), Scyllaridae (slipper lobsters) or Synaxidae (furry lobsters) is prohibited.

No person shall harvest or attempt to harvest spiny lobster using any device which will or could puncture, penetrate or crush the exoskeleton (shell) or the flesh of the lobster.

Recreational trapping prohibited.

Regardless of what species you are fishing for, bag limits are only for properly licensed individuals and those people exempt from license requirements who are actively harvesting. People harvesting may not exceed their individual bag limit and take someone else’s bag limit. That is, people (including children) who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for purposes of bag limits.[/tab]
[tab title=Regular Season]Season: August 6th – March 31st

Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person
Possession limit on the water: Equal to the daily bag limit
Minimum Size Limit: Carapace must be larger than 3″, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device required at all times. Find out how to measure a spiny lobster.

Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season and 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 during both the 2-day sport season and regular season.[/tab]
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