Want an all-in-one primer as you get ready to hit the water for mini-season on July 24 and 25? Unsure of what rules apply for the new July 14 “mini-mini-season?” The Keys Weekly has you covered.
Fine print matters when hunting
- Recreational harvesters are required to possess a valid Florida saltwater fishing license with a current spiny lobster permit. They can be purchased online at gooutdoorsflorida.com or by calling 1-888-HUNT-FLORIDA (486-8356).
- Spiny lobster must have a minimum carapace length greater than 3 inches, and the measurement must take place in the water. The carapace is measured beginning at the forward edge between the rostral horns, excluding soft tissue and proceeding along the middle to the rear edge of the carapace. If a lobster gauge can fit over the end of the carapace, the lobster is TOO SHORT. All recreationally harvested lobster must remain in whole condition while at sea.
- Egg-bearing (berried) spiny lobster must be released unharmed. Stripping egg-bearing females of eggs, and possession of spiny lobster tails from which eggs have been removed, is prohibited. Eggs are orange, yellow, brown or red masses found covering the underside of the lobster’s tail.
- During mini-season, bully netting is the only legal way to harvest lobster at night, defined as one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. Night diving is permitted during the regular season, but NOT during mini-season. Possession of bully nets or hoop nets are prohibited in Everglades National Park.
- It is a felony to molest, damage or take lobster from commercial traps.
- A diver-down flag must be prominently displayed when divers and snorkelers are in the water. Other vessels must slow to idle speed when within 300 feet of a dive flag in open water, or 100 feet in canals.
- It is illegal to intentionally create “artificial habitat” for lobsters using items like cement blocks, pipes and other debris. It’s also illegal to harvest lobster from artificial habitat in state waters.
- Recreational trapping is prohibited
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Let’s talk limits
- The bag limit is six lobsters per active, licensed harvester per day in Monroe County, period. Making multiple trips to harvest the bag limit each time is ILLEGAL.
- Possession limits apply both on and off the water. The possession limit, even when off the water, is six lobsters per licensed harvester on July 14 and July 24, or 12 lobsters per licensed harvester on July 25 (six harvested per day of mini-season).
- Gear that could puncture, penetrate or crush the shell of the lobster is prohibited. It is illegal to spearfish lobster.
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The seasons
New for 2024: A one-day “Floridians-only” sport season begins at 12:01 a.m. July 14 and ends at midnight that same day.
Sport season/“mini-season”: the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on day one and ending at midnight on day two (July 24-25 in 2024).
Regular season: Aug. 6 through March 31
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Stay away
Most Keys cities have invoked special rules to cut down on neighbor-on-neighbor – and especially resident-on-visitor – “turf wars.” Essentially, local rules establish a “no-go” zone to keep lobster hunters away from private property. In the following areas, there is no diving or snorkeling within 300 feet of enhanced residential or commercial shoreline, any man-made or private canal, or any public or private marina.
In Islamorada, Key West and unincorporated Monroe County, the rule applies during the three days prior to the sport season (July 21-23 in 2024), the entirety of the sport season (July 24-25) and the first five days of the regular season (Aug. 6-10). In Marathon, the rule only applies during sport season, and in Key Colony Beach, it applies from the four days preceding sport season through 10 days after the opening of regular season. The city of Layton has a prohibition on harvesting lobster any time from waters within city limits.
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Don’t go there…
While there are many spots to catch a sizable lobster, there are also many areas protected by a special set of rules. Know where you’re going before you head out.
Don’t lobster in these areas:
Sanctuary preservation areas (SPAs)
Carysfort Reef, The Elbow, Key Largo Dry Rocks, Grecian Rocks, French Reef, Molasses Reef, Conch Reef, Davis Reef, Hen and Chickens, Cheeca Rocks, Alligator Reef, Coffins Patch, Sombrero Key, Newfound Harbor Key, Looe Key, Eastern Dry Rocks, Rock Key, Sand Key.
Ecological reserves
Western Sambo, Tortugas Ecological Reserve.
Special-use research only areas (No entry)
Conch Reef, Tennessee Reef, Looe Key Patch Reef, Eastern Sambo.
Other closed areas (year-round)
Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne Bay Card Sound Spiny Lobster Sanctuary, Biscayne National Park Coral Reef Protection Areas, City of Layton, John Pennekamp State Park Lobster Exclusion Zones.
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Dive flag details
Divers and snorkelers in the water must display a diver-down flag. The flag must measure 12 inches by 12 inches if flown from a buoy or float, or 20 inches by 24 inches if flown from a vessel or other structure. Flags must be flown from a vessel’s highest point and must be visible from all directions. Divers should stay within 100 feet of their dive flags in channels, or within 100 yards of their flags in open water. Vessels inside these distances must fully slow down to idle speed.
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Kill lionfish, get more lobster
Recreational lobster hunters can up their bag limits during each of the sport season days by two lobsters per person per day through successful completion of FWC’s annual Lionfish Challenge. All information, including detailed instructions to submit proof of the minimum 25 harvested lionfish, is at fwcreefrangers.com.
- Increased bag limits ONLY apply to harvesters who complete the challenge, submit their tails, and receive a 2024 Challenge Coin.
- The increased bag limit applies ONLY to the harvester who completes the challenge, not all divers aboard a vessel.
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BOX OUT:
What you need to know for ‘mini-mini-season’
- All the same rules that apply during the July 24-25 sport season also apply on July 14, including prohibited areas.
- The extra July 14 harvest only applies in Florida state waters (from shore to 3 nautical miles in the Atlantic, or 9 nautical miles in the Gulf of Mexico).
On July 14, charter captains who are Florida residents can be hired. All charter customers on July 14 must also be Florida residents with proof of residency.
