What To Know Before You Go. . . This is not an official publication of spearingfishing rules and regulations. Regulations for Spearfishing is defined as the taking of any saltwater fish through the instrumentality of a spear, gig, or lance For additional information such as fishing Spearfishing operated by a person swimming at or below the surface regulations including size and bag limits- of the water. The use of powerheads, bangsticks, and www.myfwc.com www.dep.state.fl.us for rebreathers remains prohibited. www.nmfs.noaa.gov floridakeys.noaa.gov www.nps.gov/ever www.nps.gov/drto Monroe County, Florida Possession of spear equipment: Possession of spears Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission including the and spearguns is prohibited in Everglades National Park, Division of Law Enforcement (888) 404-3922 Dry Tortugas National Park and Florida State Parks. Marathon Office (305) 289-2320 Florida Keys Coral is protected from damage and removal Division of Marine Fisheries (850) 487-0554 National Marine Sanctuary in State and Federal waters. Do NOT touch, South Atlantic Fishery Management Council hold on to, stand on, break or otherwise harm (866) 723-6210 coral. It is a fragile living animal. Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council Bag and Size Limits: The federal bag limits cannot be (888) 833-1844 combined with state bag limits. Remember to abide by regulations regarding size limits. Objects underwater John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and appear 25% larger. Check with agencies for current Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical regulations: www.myfwc.com or www.nmfs.noaa.gov State Park (305) 451-1202 Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park and License Requirements: Recreational harvesters are Lignumvitae Key Submerged Land Management required to possess a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing Area (305) 664-2540 License. Consult your license agent for purchasing and exemptions to licensing requirements or visit www. Long Key State Park (305) 664-4815 myfwc.com. Curry Hammock State Park (305) 289-2690 Dive Flag: All divers and snorkelers in the Bahia Honda State Park (305) 872-2353 water are required to prominently display a divers-down flag. The minimum size for any Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park divers-down flag displayed on a buoy or float towed by (305) 292-6713 the diver is 12” by 12”. The minimum size for any Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks divers-down flag displayed from a vessel or structure is (305) 242-7700 20” by 24”. Any divers-down flag displayed from a 24-hour Dispatch (305) 242-7740 vessel must be displayed from the highest point of the vessel or such other location which provides that the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges visibility of the divers-down flag is not obstructed in any (305) 872-2239 direction. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary State Waters are all salt waters surrounding the Florida Key Largo Office (305) 852-7717 Keys out to three (3) nautical miles from the nearest Key West Office (305) 809-4700 point of land including islands on the Atlantic side and out to nine (9) nautical miles from the nearest point of land including islands on the Gulf side. Consult NOAA nautical charts. Information and chart distributors can be found at chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov. 7/2011 Spearfishing is Prohibited in the Following Areas of Monroe County: Species Prohibited for Harvest by Spearing: • State Waters from Long Key north to • Unincorporated Monroe County • African Pompano • Red Drum the Miami-Dade County line (including the It is unlawful for any person to use, fire or discharge any speargun on or below the surface of the water in • Billfish (all species) • Sharks island of Long Key) • Blue Crab • Snook State Waters are all salt waters surrounding the any man-made canal in the unincorporated areas of Monroe County. • Bonefish • Spotted Eagle Ray Florida Keys out to three (3) nautical miles from • Goliath Grouper (Jewfish) • Spotted Seatrout the nearest point of land including islands on the • Lobster • Stone Crab Atlantic side and out to nine (9) nautical miles from • Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary • Manta Ray • Sturgeon the nearest point of land including islands on the • Nassau Grouper • Tarpon Gulf side. • Existing Management Areas (EMAs) Possession of spearfishing equipment within these • Permit • Tripletail • Everglades National Park Existing Management Areas is prohibited except • Pompano • Weakfish while transiting through without stopping. • Families of Ornamental Reef Fish • Dry Tortugas National Park (Angelfish, Butterflyfish, Cornetfish, Damselfish, • Key Largo - adjacent to John Pennekamp Coral Parrotfish, Pipefish, Porcupinefish, Puffers, • State Parks Reef State Park and extends to the Seahorse, Squirrelfish, Surgeonfish, Triggerfish • The following state parks are within State Waters 300 foot depth (except gray and ocean), Trumpetfish, Trunkfish,) in the Upper Keys - spearfishing is prohibited • Looe Key - five-square-nautical mile area • Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock surrounding Looe Key reef Know Your Fish Before You Go Botanical State Park (These 2 fish are protected and often confused with similar looking species.)

• John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park The following no-take areas are marked by 30" irregular vertical bars rounded pectoral & caudal fin • Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park diameter round yellow buoys: small black spots • Lignumvitae Key Submerged Land • Sanctuary Preservation Areas (SPAs) small eyes Management Area • Carysfort Reef • Cheeca Rocks • Long Key State Park • Elbow • Alligator Reef • Key Largo Dry Rocks • Coffins Patch • The following state parks boundaries extend out to 400 feet from the shoreline - spearfishing and the • Grecian Rocks • Sombrero Key possession of spearfishing equipment is prohibited • French Reef • Looe Key in these areas. Goliath Grouper (Jewfish) • Molasses Reef • Newfound Harbor • Curry Hammock State Park head and fins covered with small black spots; irregular • Conch Reef • Eastern Dry Rocks • Bahia Honda State Park vertical bars present on the sides of body; pectoral and • Hen and Chickens • Rock Key caudal fins rounded; eyes small • Fort Zachary Taylor Historic Sate Park • Davis Reef • Sand Key stripe in shape of black saddle on caudal peduncle • Beaches, Piers, Bridges tuning fork Within 100 yards of a public swimming beach, any • Special-use Research Only Areas commercial or public fishing pier, or any part of a • Conch Reef • Tennessee Reef bridge from which public fishing is allowed. • Looe Key Patch Reef • Eastern Sambo

• Jetties • Ecological Reserves Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty that is above • Western Sambo the surface of the sea - except for the last 500 yards • Tortugas (not currently marked) Nassau Grouper of a jetty that extends more than 1,500 yards from color light background with brown or red-brown bars on the shoreline. sides; stripe in shape of tuning fork on forehead; black dots around the eyes; large black saddle on caudal peduncle