.Seasonal Seafood
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Here is a comprehensive listing of what types of seafood can be caught/harvested, and at what time of year.  Check the "Closed Season" column to see if there is anything that might be out of season. This is a great guide if you plan to catch your own, and also gives you local insight when ordering at a restaurant or from a fish market.

If you do plan to prepare your own, try this great new local recipe book by the Clearwater/Dunedin Junior League: Buy it here $24.95

* Fishing regulations change periodically. We do our best to keep up, but for the most current regulations it is best to visit the Florida Fish & Wildlife Commission site at http://myfwc.com/marine/lines.htm
Species
Minimum Size
Closed Season 
Daily Rec Bag Limit
Remarks
Amberjack (Greater )
28" fork   1 per person per day  
Amberjack (Lesser)/ Banded Rudderfish Not less than 14" or more than 22" fork   5 Aggregate of lesser amberjack and banded rudderfish.   
Billfish Sailfish 63" Blue Marlin 99" White Marlin 66"   1 per person per day Aggregate bag limit  Measured tip of lower jaw to fork. Federal regulations apply in state waters.
Black Drum Not less than 14" or more than 24"   5 per person per day  May possess one over 24 "
Bluefish 12" fork   10 per person per day   
Bonefish 18"    1 per person per day   
Clams Hard 1" thick across hinge May not harvest half hour after official sunset until half hour before official sunrise One 5 gal bucket per person or 2 per vessel, whichever is less per day Illegal to harvest from closed areas. For allowable harvesting areas go to: www.floridaaquaculture.com 
Cobia (Ling)  33" fork   1 per person or 6 per vessel per day whichever is less  A saltwater products license and a restricted species endorsement are needed to sell cobia or exceed the one fish daily bag limit 
Crab Blue   Sept. 20 - Oct. 4, Traps only NW of Suwannee River and beyond 3 miles 10 gallons whole per person per day  5 traps maximum. Trap requirements apply Harvest of egg bearing crabs prohibited 
Crab Blue Land    July 1 - Oct. 31 20 per person per day Trapping prohibited, harvest of egg bearing females prohibited, harvest prohibited in state parks and from the right of way of federal, state or county maintained roads 
Crab Stone  2 3 / 4 " claw May 16  - Oct. 14 1 gal Stone Crab claws per person or 2 gal per vessel, whichever is less  5 traps maximum. Trap requirements apply Illegal to possess whole crab Harvest of egg bearing crabs prohibited 
Crawfish (Spiny Lobster) Larger than 3" carapace measured in the water  April 1 - Aug. 5 Exception: Sport Season last consecutive Wed & Thurs. of July each year 6 per person per day Recreational trapping prohibited Crawfish permit required when license required Special bag limit for 2 day Sport season Call DLE for current information on Sport season
Dolphin Fish
(Mahi Mahi) 

*this is not the marine mammal dolphin!

20" fork Atlantic    10 per person per day, not to exceed 60 per vessel per day statewide A saltwater products license, a restricted species endorsement and a federal commercial vessel permit are needed to sell dolphin, exceed the 10 fish bag limit, or exceed 60 per vessel per day statewide
Flounder 12"   10 per person per day  May be harvested by spearing
Grouper Black & Gag 24" Atlantic & Monroe County 22" Gulf (excluding Monroe County)   2 per person per day Atlantic & Monroe County 5 per person per day Gulf (excluding Monroe Co )  Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit
Grouper Red 20"   2 per person per day Gulf  Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit 
Grouper Yellowfin & Yellowmouth 20"   Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit   
Grouper Scamp 20" Atlantic & Monroe County 

16" Gulf (excluding Monroe County)

  Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit   
Grouper Warsaw (Speckled Hind      1 per vessel per day of each species  Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit 
Grouper (all others)      Included within 5 per person per day Grouper aggregate bag limit  Includes: Coney, Graysby, Misty, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Snowy, Tiger, Yellowedge
Hogfish 12" fork    5 per person per day  
Mackerel King 24" fork   2 per person per day  Bag limit in Gulf Atlantic fishery reduced to 1 when federal waters are closed to all harvest. Call DLE for details 
Mackerel Spanish 12" fork   15 per person per day  Transfer of Spanish Mackerel to other vessels at sea is prohibited 
Mullet Striped (Black) & Silver      Feb. 1- Aug. 31, 50 per person per day, aggregate of striped & silver mullet maximum 100 aggregate per vessel Sept. 1 - Jan 31, 50 per person or per vessel Contact DLE for additional restrictions in Pinellas & Charlotte counties 
Oysters  3 " June, July, Aug. in Dixie, Wakulla, Levy counties July, Aug. , Sept. in all other areas 2 bags per person or vessel, whichever is less per day 1 Bag = 60 lbs. or two 5 gal buckets (whole in shell )  Apalachicola Bay has summer & winter seasons/areas Harvest from approved shellfish areas only. For allowable harvesting areas go to: www.floridaaquaculture.com 
Permit & Pompano fork  Not less than 11" or more than 20"    6 per person per day aggregate of Permit and Pompano  May possess one over 20" of either Permit or Pompano. Gigging, spearing, snatching prohibited 
Pompano African  Not less than 24" fork   2 fish per person or per vessel per day whichever is less  Hook & line gear only 
Red Drum (Redfish) Not less than 18" or more than 27"    1 per person per day  Gigging, spearing, snatching prohibited 
Red Porgy  14"   Atlantic 1 per person per day   
Scallops Bay    September 11 - June 30  2 gallons whole or 1 pint meat per person per day, no more than 10 gallons whole, or 1/2 gallon meat per vessel anytime Harvest allowed only in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico from the Pasco Hernando county line (near Aripeka latitude 28 degrees, 26 016 minutes North), to the west bank of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County (longitude 85 degrees, 25 84 minutes West) Any bay scallops harvested and possessed must be landed within the allowable harvesting area 
Sea Bass Black 10"   20 per person per day Atlantic  Practice of finning and filleting at sea prohibited See list below for protected species 
Shad     10 Aggregate per person per day American, Alabama, and Hickory are part of aggregate limit Hook and line gear only
Shark     1 per person or 2 per vessel per day, whichever is less  Practice of finning and filleting at sea prohibited.
Sheepshead 12"   15 per person per day  Measured from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail, snatching prohibited 
Shrimp   April & May closed to Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, & Clay counties  5 gallons heads on per person or vessel per day, whichever is less Must be landed in a whole condition Contact DLE for closed areas 
Snapper Black & Wenchman     Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit   
Snapper Cubera Not less than 12" or more than 30"    Included within 10 per person per day snapper aggregate bag limit if under 30"  Allowed 2 Cubera Snapper over 30" per person or vessel per day which ever is less 30" or larger not included within the Snapper aggregate bag limit 
Snapper Gray (Mangrove) 10"   5 per person per day  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit 
Snapper Lane 8"   Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit if harvested from Atlantic  Lane Snapper harvested from the Gulf of Mexico not included within the Snapper aggregate bag limit 
Snapper Mutton 16"   Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit  
Snapper Red 20" Atlantic 16" Gulf Nov. 1 - April 14 Gulf Only 2 per person per day Atlantic 4 per person per day Gulf  Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit 
Snapper Schoolmaster 10"    Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit   
Snapper Vermilion 10"   10 per person per day Atlantic Vermilion Snapper not included within the Snapper aggregate bag limit 
Snapper (All other) 12"    Included within 10 per person per day Snapper aggregate bag limit  Includes Blackfin, Dog, Mahogany, Queen, Silk and Yellowtail 
Snook (All species)  Not less than 26" or more than 34"  Dec 15 - Jan 31 statewide; June, July, Aug. - Atlantic; May, June, July, Aug. - Gulf, Monroe County, Everglades Nat. Park 2 per person per day - Atlantic; 1 per person per day- Gulf, Monroe County, Everglades Nat. Park Snook permit required when saltwater license required State regulations apply in federal waters Illegal to buy or sell snook 
Sponge  Commercial Greater than 5" in greatest dimension measured across the top of the sponge    10 per person per day  Includes sheepswool, yellow, grass, glove, finger, wire, reef & velvet sponge 
Spotted Seatrout Not less than 15" or more than 20" (statewide) except One fish over 20" per person N E and N W regions February S Region November and December N E and N W regions 5 per person per day S Region 4 per person per day   
Swordfish 47" lower jaw fork length   1 per person or 3 per vessel whichever is less Lower jaw fork length is the straight line measurement from the tip of the lower jaw to the fork of the tail All landed fish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours 800 894 5528 
Tarpon      2 fish possession limit  Requires $50 tarpon tag to possess or harvest Snatching prohibited 
Triggerfish (Gray) 12"     All species of Triggerfish except Gray and Ocean have live landing & live well requirements 
Tripletail 15"   2 per person per day  Hook and line gear only (No snatch hooks) 
Wahoo     2 per person per day A saltwater products license, a restricted species endorsement and a federal commercial vessel permit are needed to sell wahoo or exceed the 2 fish bag limit 
Weakfish 12"   4 per person per day  Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore (heads & tails intact) Measured as total length. Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait