Species |
Size Limit |
Closed Season |
Daily Recreational Bag Limit |
Remarks |
Amberjack,
Greater |
28"
Fork |
|
1
per person per day |
W |
Amberjack,
Lesser |
Not
Less than 14" Fork
or more than 20" Fork |
|
5
aggregate of lesser amberjack and banded
rudderfish |
W |
Banded
Rudderfish |
Not
Less than 14" Fork
or more than 20" Fork |
|
5
aggregate of lesser amberjack and banded
rudderfish |
W |
Billfish |
Sailfish 57"
Blue Marlin 99"
White Marlin 66" (NEW) |
|
1 per person per day
aggregate billfish bag limit |
Species include Marlin,
Spearfish, and Sailfish. Federal Size limits
apply. |
Black
Drum |
Not
Less than 14"
or more than 24" |
|
5
per person per day |
May
posses one over 24"
W |
Bluefish |
12"
Fork |
|
10
per person per day |
W |
Bonefish |
18" |
|
1
per person per day |
|
Clams-Hard |
1"
thick across hinge |
|
One
5-gallon bucket per person or 2 per vessel,
whichever is lesser per day |
Illegal
to harvest from closed areas. Call FMP for
current information. |
Cobia
(Ling) |
33"
Fork |
|
2
per person per day |
W |
Crab,
Blue |
|
|
10
gallons whole per day |
5
traps maximum. Trap requirements apply.
Harvest of egg-bearing crabs prohibited. |
Crab,
Stone |
2
3/4" Claw |
May
15 - October 15 |
1
gallon Stone Crab claws per person or 2
gallons per vessel, whichever is less |
5
traps maximum. Trap requirements apply.
Illegal to process whole crab. Harvest of
egg-bearing crabs prohibited. |
Crawfish
(Spiny Lobster) |
Larger
than 3" carapace, measured in the water |
April
1 - August 5
Exception: Sportsman's Season--last
successive wed-thur of July each year |
24
per vessel or 6 per person, whichever is
greater |
Recreational
trapping prohibited. Crawfish permit
required. Call FMP for special bag
limit for Sportsman's Season. |
Dolphin |
|
|
10
per person per day |
G |
Flounder |
12" |
|
10
per person per day |
May
be harvested by spearing.
WGL |
Gray
Triggerfish |
12" |
|
|
G |
Grouper |
20"
|
|
5
aggregate bag of all species per person per
day.
|
Includes:
Yellowfin, Red, Yellowmouth, Misty, Scamp,
Yellowedge. Harvest of Nassau and
Jewfish prohibited.
WG |
Grouper, Black &
Gag |
24"
Atlantic (NEW)
20" Gulf |
|
2
per person per day Atlantic (NEW)
5 per person per day Gulf |
Are included in Grouper
aggregate bag limits - Atlantic only |
Grouper: Warsaw and
Speckled Hind (Kitty Mitchell) |
|
|
1
per vessel, per day of each species. NEW |
Are included in grouper
aggregate bag limit. Illegal to buy
or sell.
G |
Hogfish |
12"
Fork |
|
5
per person per day |
G |
Mackerel,
King (Kingfish) |
20"
Fork |
|
2
per person per day |
Bag
limit in Gulf-Atlantic fishery reduced to 1
when Federal waters are closed to all
harvest. Call FMP for details.
W |
Mackerel,
Spanish |
|
|
10
per person per day |
Transfer
of Spanish mackerel to other vessels is
prohibited.
WL |
Mullet |
|
|
50
per vessel or person, whichever is less per
day |
|
Oysters |
3" |
June,
July, and August in Dixie, Wakulla and Levy
counties.
July, August and September in all
other areas. |
2
bags per person or vessel, whichever is less
per day. 1 bag = 60 pounds or two 5-gallon
buckets (whole in shell). |
Apalachicola
Bay has summer and winter seasons/areas.
Harvest from approved shellfish areas only.
Call FMP for current information. |
Permit |
Not
Less than 10"
or more than 20" |
|
10
per person per day aggregate bag of Permit
and Pompano |
May
posses one over 20"
WGL |
Pompano |
Not
Less than 10"
or more than 20" |
|
10
per person per day aggregate bag of Permit
and Pompano. Sale prohibited for Pompano over
20" |
May
posses one over 20"
WGL |
Pompano,
African |
Not
less than 24" |
|
2
fish per person or vessel whichever is less |
Hook
& Line Gear only
WL |
Red
Drum (Redfish) |
Not
Less than 18"
or more than 27" |
|
1
per person per day |
Gigging,
spearing and snatching prohibited.
WG |
Red Porgy |
14",
Atlantic (NEW) |
|
5
per person per day, Atlantic (NEW) |
WG |
Scallops,
Bay |
|
September
11 to June 30 |
2
gallons whole, or one pint meat per person.
No more than 10 gallons whole or 1/2 gallon
meat per vessel anytime. |
Restricted
harvest areas apply to certain state waters.
Call FMP for current information.
G |
Sea Bass, Black |
10"
(NEW) |
|
Bag
limit 20, Atlantic (NEW) |
WG |
Sea
Bass |
8" |
|
|
Size
limit applies to all Sea Basses (Centropristis)
except Black Sea Bass. |
Shad |
|
|
10
per person per day, aggregate bag of all Shad |
American,
Alabama and Hickory shad are all part of
aggregate. Hook and line gear only. |
Shark |
|
|
1
per person per day, or 2 per vessel,
whichever is less |
Protected
Species. Practice of finning or filleting at
sea prohibited. No harvest of Sawfish,
Basking and Whale Sharks or Spotted Eagle
Rays. |
Sheepshead |
12" |
|
15
per person per day |
WGL |
Shrimp |
|
April
and May closed in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns,
Putnam, Flagler and Clay Counties |
5
gallons per person or vessel, per day, heads
on. |
Must
be landed in whole condition. contact FMP for
closed areas.
G |
Snapper,
Cubera |
Not
Less than 12"
or more than 30" |
|
10
per person per day. Under 30" counted in
aggregate Snapper bag limit. |
May
keep two over 30" per person or vessel.
Over 30" not counted in aggregate.
WG |
Snapper,
Gray (Mangrove) |
10" |
|
5
per person per day within 10 snapper
aggregate bag limit. |
No
more than 10 snappers aggregate of all
snappers with a bag limit.
WG |
Snapper,
Lane |
8" |
|
Lane
Snapper included in 10 snapper
aggregate bag limit in Atlantic |
Lane
snapper harvested in the Gulf of Mexico not
subject to aggregate snapper bag limit.
WG |
Snapper,
Mutton |
16" |
|
10
per person per day aggregate Snapper bag
limit. |
No
more than 10 snappers aggregate of all
snappers with a bag limit.
WG |
Snapper, Red |
16" Gulf
20" Atlantic |
|
4
Gulf (NEW)
2 Atlantic |
No more than 10 snappers
aggregate of all snappers with a bag limit.
WG |
Snapper,
Schoolmaster |
10" |
|
10
per person per day aggregate Snapper bag
limit. |
No
more than 10 snappers aggregate of all
snappers with a bag limit.
WG |
Snapper,
Vermilion |
10" |
|
10
per person per day, Atlantic.
No bag limit, Gulf |
Not
counted in Snapper aggregate bag limit.
WG |
Snook |
Not
less than 26" (NEW)
Not more than 34" |
December 15-January 31, and
June, July and August |
2 per person per day |
Snook permit required. Illegal
to buy or sell.
Illegal to
posses any over 34" (NEW)
WG |
Spotted
Seatrout
(South Region) |
Not
less than 15"
Not more than 20" |
November
and December |
5
fish per day per person |
State
waters south from the Volusia/Flagler County
line on the Atlantic to the Pinellas/Pasco
County line on the gulf.
WG |
Spotted
Seatrout
(Northwest Region) |
Not
less than 15"
Not more than 24" |
February |
7
fish per day per person |
State
waters north and west of the Pinellas/Pasco
county line.
WG |
Spotted
Seatrout
(Northeast Region) |
Not
less than 15"
Not more than 20" |
December,
January and February |
5
fish per day per person |
State
waters north of the Volusia/Flagler county
line.
WG |
Tarpon |
|
|
2
per person per day |
Requires
$50 tarpon tag to possess or kill. |
Tripletail |
15" |
|
2
per person per day |
Hook
and line gear only. no snatch hooks.
WL |
Weakfish |
12" |
|
4
per person per day |
W |
|
|
W
- Must remain in whole condition until landed
ashore. (heads and tails intact) |
G
- Gear restrictions apply. Contact nearest
FMP |
L-
Length for these species is defined as the
most forward point of the head to the rear
center of the tail |
ORNAMENTAL
TROPICAL FISH AND PLANTS
|
Minimum Size Limit
(Total Length): Spanish Hogfish
2"
|
Maximum size Limit (Total
Length): Angelfish (except
rock beauty) 8", Butterfly,
Jawfish 4", Rock Beauty
5", Gobies 2", Spanish
Hogfish 8", Spotfin
Hogfish 8"
|
Bag Limit
fishes/Invertebrates: 20 per person per day.
no more than 5 Angelfish and
no more than 6 Octocoral Colonies. Plants:
1 gallon per person per day
|
Live landing and live well
requirements. Harvest in Biscayne National
Park & John Pennekamp State Park
Prohibited.
Unlawful to harvest or posses Longspine
Urchin, Hard and Fire Corals,
Sea Fans, Florida Queen Conch
and Bahama Starfish.
Harvest of live rock in
state waters is prohibited.
|
PROTECTED
SPECIES
|
It is unlawful to harvest,
posses, land, purchase, sell, or exchange the
following species:
Nassau Grouper, Jewfish, Sawfish,
Basking Shark, Whale Shark, Spotted Eagle
Ray, Sturgeon,
White Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Sand
Tiger Shark, Manta Rays.
|
Regulations From
DEP "Fishing Lines" 1/99
|
Saltwater Fishing in Florida...
What you Must Know Before You Go
This article is
for all anglers. It contains the do's
and don'ts of fishing along Florida's
coastline and from off its shorelines. It
explains who needs and who does not need a
fishing license, and it tells what fish - and
how many may be taken home. Saltwater
Fishing licenses are sold at all county tax
collectors' offices and at many
bait-and-tackle shops. Licenses may also be
obtained over the telephone by dialing Toll
Free, 1-888-347-4356. The
cost differs for residents and nonresidents.
The law says
anyone who takes, attempts to take, or
possesses marine fish for noncommercial
purposes must have a saltwater fishing
license, except for those qualifying for
exemptions listed below.
Florida Residents
When applying for a saltwater fishing
license, you are considered to be a Florida
Resident if you are:
-- any person who has resided in this
state for six continuous months prior to the
issuance of a license and who has an intent
to continue to reside in Florida as their
primary residence.
-- any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who
is stationed in this state (includes spouse
and dependent children residing in
household).
Florida residents
may buy a lifetime saltwater fishing license
or a lifetime sportsman license. Holders of
lifetime saltwater fishing licenses may fish
in saltwater as long as they live and will
pay no additional fees. The license fee
includes the taking of snook or crawfish -
which would otherwise require a separate fee.
A lifetime sportsman license allows holders
to fish in fresh water or salt water and to
hunt in Florida. Both of these licenses
require holders to obey fishing or hunting
laws in effect at any given time.
Costs for the four types of licenses:
Florida
Resident Licenses
*
One-Year
License
$ 12.00
Five-Year License **
. $ 60.00
|
Lifetime
Saltwater Fishing
License
Age: 0-4
$ 125.00
Age: 5-12
$ 225.00
Age: 13-64
$ 300.00
Age:
65 or older . . . .
. . Free
|
Lifetime
Sportsman License
Age:
0-4
.
.
$ 400.00
Age: 5-12
$ 700.00
Age: 13-63 .
. .
$ 1,000.00
Age: 64 or
older
$ 12.00
|
Non-Resident
Licenses *
Three-Day
License
$ 5.00
Seven-Day
License
$ 15.00
One-Year
License
$ 30.00
|
* Service charge
and Snook and Crawfish permits not included
** Purchased only at county
tax collectors office and
does not include snook or crawfish permits.
Tax collectors and the
bait-and-tackle shops that act as their
agents will assess an additional service
charge of $1.50 or $2.00 per license. *
|
You Do Not Need a
License If You Are:
- A Florida resident fishing from land
or a structure fixed to the land -
a pier, bridge, dock, floating
dock, jetty or similar structure -
but not from a boat.
- A Florida resident who is 65 years
old or older.
- A Florida resident who is a member
of the U.S. Armed Forces, who is
not stationed in this state, while
on leave for 30 days or less, upon
submission of orders. This does not
include family members.
- A Florida resident who is fishing
for mullet in fresh water--with a
valid Florida fresh water license.
- A Florida resident who is fishing
for saltwater fish in fresh water
from land or from a structure fixed
to the land.
- Under 16 years of age.
- Fishing from a boat that has a valid
recreational vessel saltwater
fishing license.
- A non-resident fishing from a pier
that has a valid pier saltwater
fishing license.
- A holder of a valid commercial
saltwater products license. (Only
one person fishing under a vessel
saltwater products license may
claim the exemption on the vessel
for which the saltwater product
license is registered.)
- Any person who has been accepted as
a client for development services
by AHCA (Florida's Agency for
Health Care Administration) or any
licensed provider of services
through contract with AHCA, where
such service involves the need,
normally, for possession of
saltwater fishing license and such
service is provided as part of a
court-decided rehabilitation
program involving training in
Florida's aquatic resources.
- A Florida resident who is certified
permanently and totally disabled
may obtain a "disabled persons
certificate" which allows them
to fish in both saltwater and
freshwater at no charge from a
county tax collector.
Other Saltwater Fishing
Fees
Vessel
licenses are required for all vessels that
charge a fee to take passengers out to catch
marine fish.
Eleven or more customers...$800.00
Five to Ten Customers.........$400.00
Four or fewer customers.....$200.00
Optional fees include the annual
Recreational Vessel fee ($2,000.00) for
not-for-hire pleasure craft and the annual
Pier license, ($500.00) for piers that charge
an access fee.
Additional Privilege Permit
Snook Permit
$ 2.00
Crawfish Permit $
2.00
If you are not
required to buy a license, you are not
required to buy permits.
The money
collected from saltwater fishing licenses is
used to improve and restore fish habitat and
for marine fisheries research, law
enforcement, and public education on marine
resources.
|
POINTS ON
POSSESSION
Possession Limits
for Multiple Day Recreational Fishing Trips
Many anglers are
unsure or unaware of how bag and possession
limits affect them during fishing trips which
exceed one fishing day. Bag limits are daily
limits for the 24 hour period beginning at
midnight and ending the following midnight.
These bag limits may not be exceeded at any
time and are not considered "per
trip" limits. What's important in this
definition is that once you have caught and
possess the bag limit for a species, you may
not harvest any more of this species until
the next daily period. Taking the catch to
shore and then going back to harvest another
daily bag limit is illegal.
But what if you were
fishing in the Bahamas? In this instance, you
are subject to the environmental laws of the
Bahamas and a violation of their rules may
constitute a violation of U.S. Federal laws.
Contact the U.S. Coast Guard and Bahamian
officials for current information
Or what about
camping on an island in state waters? Are you
able to possess an equal number of bag limits
as the number of days fished? In this case
you are restricted to one daily bag limit
regardless of the number of days fished.
Other scenarios
might be that you are camping on the
mainland, staying in a motel, at your beach
house, in transit over land from an extended
fishing trip, etc. Under these circumstances,
the possession of multiple daily bag limits
depends on the species you intend to keep and
more importantly, the location where you
possess the fish. The following table
provides you with the information needed to:
- determine whether or not you can
possess more than one daily bag
limit (on land) for an individual
species when fishing for multiple
days
- the locations where it would be
prohibited to possess the fish in
excess of one daily bag limit
Tarpon - have no daily
bag limit, but it is illegal to posses more
than two tarpons at any time. Any tarpon possessed must
have tarpon tag affixed.
Reef fish
(snappers and groupers included within the
aggregate bag limit, hogfish, Atlantic coast
red porgy, and Atlantic coast black sea bass)-
Any person who has fished for more than one
day may possess double the daily bag limit
once such person has departed the fishing
site and is no longer within 100 yards of any
state waters, docks, fishing piers, or other
fishing sites. Additionally, any person who
has fished aboard a charter vessel or
headboat on a trip that spans more than 24
hours may possess double the daily bag limit
provided that the vessel has a sleeping berth
for each passenger aboard the vessel and each
passenger possesses a receipt issued on
behalf of the vessel that verifies the length
of the trip.
If further
clarification is required, please contact the
local district office of the Florida Marine
Patrol. The information contained in this
chart can be found in the rules of the Marine
Fisheries Commission, Title 46 of the Florida
Administrative Code. You may access marine
regulations through the Marine Fisheries
Commission web site at www.dep.state.fl.us/mfc
Possession
Table
|
May
not posses species in
excess of one daily bag
limit while in or on
state waters.
Dolphin, flounder,
marine life (tropicals,
ornamentals, etc.),
mullet, mutton snapper,
permit, pompano
(including African
pompano), sheepshead,
tripletail, weakfish.
|
May
not posses species in
excess of one daily bag
limit while in, on or
above the water of the
state or on any dock,
pier, bridge, beach, or
other fishing site
adjacent to such waters.
Amberjack (greater and
lesser), banded
rudderfish, black drum,
bluefish, cobia,
gulf-Atlantic king
mackerel *, redfish**,
Spanish mackerel and
spotted seatrout.
|
May
not posses species in
excess of one daily bag
limit at any time.
Bonefish, shad and
snook.
|
*
Possession of king
mackerel in excess of the
daily bag limit by any
person aboard a vessel
fishing in the Atlantic
fishery shall constitute
a violation.
** May not posses
more than two redfish at
any time regardless of
location.
|
|
Recreational
Gear
Some regional gear
restrictions apply. Call your local FMP
office for local regulations.
Nets
The following types
of nets may be used for recreational purposes
in Florida waters: Bully nets, landing or dip
nets, cast nets, push nets.
Traps
Traps may be used in
recreational fishing for stone crab, blue
crab, shrimp, pinfish, and black sea bass,
subject to the appropriate regulations.
Hook-and-Line Gear
Hook-and-line
fishermen must tend their gear at all times
to prevent people, marine life, and shore
life from becoming entangled in the line or
injured by their hooks. Also, it is against
the law to intentionally discard any
monofilament netting or line into or onto the
waters of the State of Florida. Monofilament
line can--and does--entangle birds, marine
mammals, marine turtles, and fish, often
killing or injuring them.
Explosives, etc.
The use of
powerheads, explosives, chemicals, or the
discharge of Firearms into the water to kill
or harvest marine life is against the law. It
is also against the law to land any food fish
that has been damaged by explosives. |
Diving,
Snorkeling, and Spearfishing
Diving,
snorkeling, and spearfishing are some of the
most enjoyable ways we use Florida
crystal-clear waters. Spearfishing is popular
in all of Florida's ocean and Gulf waters,
but it is especially popular in the southern
half of the state and in the coral reefs of
the Florida Keys. If you are diving or
snorkeling - whether you are spearfishing or
not - you must display the Diver Down flag to
show boaters that you an in be area. Boaters
should use extreme caution around Diver Down
flags, and divers should be careful when they
surface as well.
In an effort to
simplify existing spearfishing regulations,
the Marine Fisheries Commission has modified
Chapter 46-20, F.A.C., "Spearfishing"
to be entitled "Spearing". Spearing
is now defined as "the catching or
taking of a fish by bow hunting, logging,
spearfishing, or any device used to capture a
fish by piercing its body. Spearing does not
include the catching or taking of a fish by a
hook with hook and line gear or by snagging
(snatch hooking)". The use of powerheads,
bangsticks, and rebreathers remains
prohibited. The following is a list of
species which are prohibited for harvest by
spearing. Any other species not
listed which are managed by the Commission,
and those not managed by the Commission are
allowed to be harvested by spearing.
--
Billfish
-- Bonefish
-- Nassau Grouper
-- Pompano |
--
Spotted Eagle Ray
-- Tarpon
-- Spotted Seatrout
-- African Pompano |
--
Sturgeon
-- Jewfish
-- Red Drum
-- Permit |
--
Manta Ray
-- Snook
-- Weakfish
--Tripletail
-- Sharks |
-- Families of ornamental reef
fish (surgeonfish, trumpeffish, angelfish,
butterflyfish, porcupinefish, cornetfish,
squirrelfish, trunkfish, damselfish,
parrotfish, pipefish, seahorse, puffers)
You May NOT Spearfish (excluding
bowhunting and gigging)
-- Within 100 yards of a public swimming
beach, any commercial or public fishing pier,
or any part of a bridge from which public
fishing is allowed.
-- Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty
that is above the surface of the sea - except
for the last 500 yards of a jetty that
extends more than 1,500 yards from the
shoreline.
-- In Collier County and in Monroe County
from Long Key north to the Dade County line.
-- For any fish for which spearing is
expressly prohibited by law.
-- In any body of water under the
jurisdiction of the DEP's Division of
Recreation and Parks. (Possession of
spear-fishing equipment is prohibited in
these areas, unless it is unloaded and
properly stored.)
Fishermen who catch and/or sell
fish harvested by spearing are subject to the
same rules and limitations that other
fishermen in the state are required to
follow.
|
The Florida Marine Patrol
Division
of Law Enforcement
Florida waters to provide assistance to
boaters and anglers as well as to enforce
Florida's salt-water fishing laws and other
state environmental laws and rules. Marine
patrol officers assist boaters who are in
trouble, can provide advice and direction to
those who are unfamiliar with Florida's
coastline and waterways, and may issue
citations for violations of state and federal
fishing, boating, and environmental laws.
Telephone
numbers for Marine Patrol
District Offices |
Tallahassee
Headquarters |
District
1 |
District
2 |
Florida
Marine Patrol |
850-488-5600 |
Jacksonville
Beach
Titusville |
904-270-2500
407-383-2740 |
Miami
Jupiter |
305-795-2145
561-624-6935 |
District
3 |
District
4 |
District
5 |
Marathon
Fort Myers |
305-289-2320
941-332-6971 |
Tampa
Crystal River |
813-272-2516
352-447-1633 |
Panama
City
Pensacola
Carrabelle |
850-233-5150
850-444-8978
850-697-3741 |
In Emergencies or if state saltwater
fishing laws are being violated call 1-800-DIAL-FMP
(1-800-342-5367)
Cellular phone users throughout the
state, call * FMP.
VHF - Channel 16
|