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Home , Catfish, Grouper, Gulf grouper, Speckled hind

Issued: October 2018 Florida Recreational New regulations are highlighted in red Regulations apply to state waters of the Gulf and Atlantic Saltwater Regulations (please visit: MyFWC.com/Fishing/Saltwater/Recreational for the most current regulations) All art: © Diane Rome Peebles, except snowy (Duane Raver) Reef

Snapper

General Snapper Regulations: •• Snapper Aggregate Bag Limit - Within state waters of the Atlantic and Gulf, all species of snapper are Snapper, Cubera p t l Snapper, Red p t l X Snapper, Vermilion ptlX Snapper, Lane p t l included in a 10 fish per harvester Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: per day aggregate bag limit in any •• Atlantic and Gulf - 12" (see remarks) •• Atlantic - 20" •• Atlantic - 12" •• Atlantic and Gulf - 8" combination of snapper species, •• Gulf - 16" •• Gulf - 10" unless stated otherwise. Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Seasons – If no seasonal information •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester under Season: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic - 10 per harvester is provided, the species is open 30”, included within snapper aggregate •• Atlantic - Open -round •• Atlantic - 5 per harvester, not included within •• Gulf - 100 pounds per harvester not included year-round. bag limit. ••Gulf – Closed, visit MyFWC.com for the snapper aggregate bag limit. within the snapper aggregate bag limit. •• May additionally harvest up to 2 per harvester 2019 season •• Gulf - 10 per harvester, not included within or vessel-whichever is less- over 30", and the snapper aggregate bag limit. these 2 fish over 30" are not included within Daily Recreational Bag Limit: snapper aggregate bag limit. •• Atlantic and Gulf - 2 per harvester •• Gulf - Zero daily bag and possession limit for captain and crew on for-hire vessels. Other Snapper p t l Minimum Size Limits: •• Atlantic and Gulf - 12" Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester Remarks Snapper, Gray Snapper, Snapper, Black •• Includes: Blackfin, Dog, Mahogany, Queen, (Mangrove) p t l Snapper, Mutton p t l Schoolmaster p t l & Wenchman p l Silk and Yellowtail Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10" •• Atlantic and Gulf - 18" •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10" •• Atlantic and Gulf - None Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per harvester •• Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per harvester •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester •• Atlantic and Gulf - 10 per harvester

Grouper

Atlantic Grouper General Regulations: •• Atlantic grouper regulations apply to all state waters of the Atlantic and all state waters off Monroe County Grouper, Warsaw (Gulf and Atlantic sides). Grouper, Black p t l X Grouper, Snowy p l Grouper, Red p t l X & p l •• Atlantic Grouper Aggregate Bag Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limit: Minimum Size Limit: Minimum Size Limits: Limit - all species of grouper plus •• Atlantic - 24" •• Atlantic and Gulf - None •• Atlantic and Gulf - 20" •• Atlantic and Gulf - None golden tilefish in the Atlantic are •• Gulf - 24" included in a 3 fish per harvester Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Season: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: per day aggregate bag limit in any Season: •• Atlantic - 1 per harvester •• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30 •• Atlantic and Gulf - 1 per vessel per day of combination of grouper/golden •• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30 •• Gulf - 4 per harvester •• Gulf - Open year-round each species •• Gulf - Open year-round tilefish species. Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Seasons – If no seasonal Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic - 3 per harvester information is provided, the •• Atlantic - 1 per harvester. Only 1 fish can be •• Gulf - 2 per harvester species is open year-round. gag or black. •• Gulf - 4 per harvester General Regulations: •• Gulf grouper regulations apply to all state waters of the Gulf except Grouper, Yellowfin off Monroe County (where Atlantic Other Grouper p l Gag Grouper p t l X Grouper, Scamp p t l & Yellowmouth p t l rules apply). Other Grouper includes: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: •• Gulf Grouper Aggregate Bag •• Rock Hind, , Coney, and •• Atlantic - 24" •• Atlantic - 20" •• Atlantic and Gulf - 20" Limit - all species of grouper in the •• Gulf - 24" •• Gulf - 16" Gulf are included in a 4 fish per Minimum Size Limit: Season: harvester per day aggregate bag •• Atlantic and Gulf - None Season: Season: •• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30 limit in any combination of grouper •• Atlantic - Closed: Jan. 1–April 30 •• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30 •• Gulf - Open year-round Season: species. •• Gulf - State waters off Franklin, Wakulla, Jef- •• Gulf - Open year-round •• Atlantic - Closed Jan. 1–April 30 •• Seasons – If no seasonal ferson and Taylor counties: Open April 1–June 30 Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Gulf - Open year-round Daily Recreational Bag Limit: information is provided, the species and Sept. 1–Dec. 31. •• Atlantic - 3 per harvester •• Atlantic - 3 per harvester is open year-round. •• Gulf - State waters off all other •• Gulf - 4 per harvester Remarks •• Gulf - 4 per harvester •• Zero daily recreational bag limit •• Aggregate bag limit applies counties: Open June 1–Dec. 31 for captain and crew on for-hire vessels applies to gag, black and Daily Recreational Bag Limit: only. •• Atlantic - 1 per harvester. Only 1 fish can be gag or black. •• Gulf - 2 per harvester

1 October, 2018 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Reef Fish All art: © Diane Rome Peebles, except golden tilefish (Duane Raver); lionfish (FWC)

Other Reef Fish (If no season information is provided, the species is open year-round)

Amberjack, Greater p l X Great Barracuda p t n Hogfish p l Triggerfish (Gray) p l X Minimum Size Limits: Regulations only apply in Collier, Monroe, Miami-Dade, Atlantic regulations apply to Monroe County Minimum Size Limits: •• Atlantic - 28" fork length Broward, Palm Beach, and Martin counties. •• Atlantic – 12" fork length •• Gulf - 34" fork length Minimum Size Limits: •• Gulf - 15" fork length. Size Limits: •• Atlantic - 16" fork length Season: •• Not less than 15" or more than 36" •• Gulf - 14" fork length Season: •• Atlantic - Open year-round ••Atlantic - Open year-round ••Gulf - Open, Aug. 1-Oct. 31, 2018. Visit Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Season: ••Gulf - Closed, visit MyFWC.com for 2019 season MyFWC.com for 2019 season •• 2 per person or 6 per vessel, per day •• Atlantic - Open May 1 - October 31 •• May possess one over 36" per vessel. •• Gulf - Open year round Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Unregulated in all other areas. •• Atlantic - 10 per harvester •• Atlantic and Gulf - 1 per harvester Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Gulf - 1 per harvester. Remarks •• Atlantic - 1 per harvester •• Unregulated in all other areas, see MyFWC.com •• Gulf - 5 per harvester

Amberjack, Lesser & Banded Red Porgy p t l Tilefish, Golden p l Rudderfish p l X Black p t l Minimum Size Limits: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: •• Atlantic - 14" •• Atlantic - 1 per harvester •• Atlantic and Gulf - Cannot be less than 14" or greater •• Atlantic - 13" •• Gulf - None •• Gulf - 4 per harvester than 22" fork length •• Gulf - 10" Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Remarks Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic - 3 per harvester •• Golden tilefish included within Atlantic and Gulf Grouper •• Atlantic and Gulf - 5 per person aggregate of the two •• Atlantic - 7 per harvester •• Gulf - 100 pounds aggregate bag limits. species. •• Gulf - 100 pounds per harvester

Pelagics

Billfish p  , King p Mackerel, Spanish p Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: •• Sailfish 63"; •• 47" lower jaw fork length with head attached or 25" •• 24" fork length •• 12" fork length •• Blue 99"; cleithrum to keel length if head removed •• White Marlin 66"; Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Roundscale Spearfish 66" Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Atlantic (excluding Monroe) - 2 per harvester •• 15 per harvester •• 1 per harvester per day, not to exceed a maximum of 4 •• Gulf (including Monroe) - 3 per harvester Daily Recreational Bag Limit: per recreational (not for-hire) vessel or 15 per for-hire •• 1 per harvesterggregate bag limit vessel per day. Remarks •• Bag limit reduced to 1 in some state waters if federal Remarks Remarks waters are closed to recreational harvest. •• Measured tip of lower jaw to fork. All landed fish must •• All landed fish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours be reported to NOAA within 24 hours 800-894-5528 or 800-894-5528. HMS permit required in federal waters. hmspermits.noaa.gov. Zero daily bag and possession limit for captain and crew •• HMS permit required in federal waters. of for-hire vessels.

Wahoo p Cobia (Ling) p Tripletail p  t T Dolphinfish p Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: •• None •• 33" fork length ••18" •• Atlantic - 20" fork length •• Gulf - None Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 2 per harvester •• Atlantic-1 per harvester, not to exceed 6 per vessel . •• 2 per harvester Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Gulf-1 per harvester, not to exceed 2 per vessel . Remarks •• 10 per harvester per day, not to exceed 60 per vessel per •• Hook and line only. No snatch hooks. day. Vessel limit does not apply to for-hire vessels.

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Bluefish p n p t T Bonefish  n Pompano, Sheepshead l p t T l  p T n Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: African Minimum Size Limits: •• 12" fork length •• 12" •• 0 per harvester Minimum Size Limits: •• 12" •• 24" fork length Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Remarks Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 10 per harvester •• 10 per harvester •• Catch and release only Daily Recreational Bag Limit: ••8 per harvester •• Hook and line only Remarks •• 2 per harvester, not to exceed 2 per vessel Remarks •• May be harvested by spearing. •• Snatching prohibited Snatching prohibited. ••Vessel limit of 50 fish during March and April

Spotted Snook Permit l p  T n Weakfish p  t Seatrout l  p t T n (All species) p  t T n Tarpon l  T n Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Size Limits: Size Limits: Recreational Bag Limit: •• 22" fork Special Permit Zone (SPZ); Not less •• Weakfish Management Area (WMA) in •• Not less than 15" or more than 20" (See •• Not less than 28" or more than 32" Atlantic •• 1 per harvester per year. $50 harvest tag than 11" or more than 22" fork length all Nassau County - 12" remarks) excluding Monroe. required. Vessel limit of one fish. Harvest tag other areas. •• All other areas - no minimum •• Not less than 28" or more than 33" Gulf and can only be used when fish is retained for Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Monroe County. potential IGFA record. Closed Season: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 5 per harvester per day N.W. Zone ••April 1–July 31 SPZ Only •• WMA - 1 per harvester •• 4 per harvester per day S.W. Zone Closed Season: Remarks •• All other areas - 100 pounds per day •• 4 per harvester per day S.E. Zone •• Atlantic (excluding Monroe) closed Dec. 15– •• Tarpon over 40 inches must remain in the Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 6 per harvester per day N.E. Zone Jan. 31 and June 1–Aug. 31. water during release. Spearing and snatch •• 1 per harvester , not to exceed 2 per vessel Remarks •• Gulf including Monroe County, Dec. 1–end of hooking prohibited. Bottom weighted jigs SPZ; •• Regulations apply in parts of Nassau Remarks February, and May 1–Aug. 31. prohibited in Boca Grande Pass. See: MyFWC. •• 2 per harvester all other state waters County only. •• May possess no more than 1 over 20"; com/Fishing/Saltwater/Recreational/ •• See map at: MyFWC.com/Fishing/ included in the regional bag limit. See Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Tarpon for additional information. Remarks Saltwater/Recreational/Weakfish management zone map at MyFWC.com. •• 1 per harvester •• May possess 1 over 22" fork length outside the SPZ, not to exceed 2 over 22" fork per Remarks vessel per day. For map of SPZ, please see: •• Snook permit required for harvest when MyFWC.com. saltwater license required. See MyFWC.com •• Zero daily bag and possession limit for for snook permit details. Snatch hooks and captain and crew on for-hire vessels. spearing prohibited. •• Zero daily bag and possession limit for captain and crew on for-hire vessels. •• Catch and release only in SW region, see Red Drum MyFWC.com for more information. (Redfish) p  t T Size Limits: •• Not less than 18" or more than 27" Pompano, , Striped Daily Recreational Bag Limit: n •• 2 per harvester per day in the NE zone, and Black Drum p t T n Florida p  T n (Black) & Silver Blue Runner 1 per harvester in the NW and S zone. See Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limits: management zone map at MyFWC.com. •• Not less than 14" or more than 24" •• 11" fork length •• No minimum size •• No minimum •• Off the water possession limit of 6 fish. Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Remarks •• 5 per harvester •• 6 per harvester •• 50 aggregate per harvester •• 100 fish per harvester •• Gigging, spearing, snatching prohibited. ••Aggregate vessel limits Harvest in Federal waters prohibited. Remarks Remarks Feb. 1–Aug. 31: 100 per vessel; •• Catch and release only in SW region, see •• May possess one over 24". Snatching •• Hook and line, cast net and beach or haul Sept. 1–Jan. 31: 50 per vessel MyFWC.com for more information. prohibited. seine ONLY. Can't find your fish in the regulations?

Florida’s coastal waters are home to thousands of marine species, and the majority of these species have no specific regulations with regard to bag limits, size limits, gear restrictions or closed seasons. These species are often referred to as “unregulated species,” although the name can be a bit misleading. State law provides that for any marine species that does Gulf Kingfish Jack Crevalle Lionfish Hardhead not have specific regulations, harvesting more than 100 pounds or two fish (whichever is the greater amount) constitutes a commercial quantity Examples of "unregulated species" include: and requires a commercial license. This means the recreational harvest Ladyfish, bonito, , white grunt, southern stingray, gulf kingfish (whiting), pinfish, limit for any unregulated species is 100 pounds or two organisms if the Atlantic croaker,lionfish, jack crevalle, cero mackerel, , combined weight of the two organisms exceeds 100 pounds. and blackfin . * No license is required to harvest lionfish by dipnet, pole spear or Hawaiian sling and lionfish baglimit is unlimited for both Gulf and Atlantic state waters .

 Spearing Prohibited n State regulations apply in federal waters. p Must remain in whole condition (removal of and guts allowed). l Additional gear rules apply, please see: MyFWC.com t Measured as total length. Total length is the straight line distance from the most T Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook (any hook with two or more forward part of the head with the mouth closed to the farthest tip of the tail with the tail points and a common shaft) in conjunction with live or dead natural bait. compressed or squeezed together while the fish is lying on its side. X Gulf reef fish survey required when fishing for selected reef species from a private vessel in the . Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission October, 2018 3 and Mollusks

Bay l Spiny  p , Stone  n Season: Minimum Size Limit: Minimum Size Limits: Minimum Size Limit: ••Closed, visit MyFWC.com for 2019 season •• Carapace must be greater than 3" measured in the water •• 2 ¾" claw •• 3" Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Seasons: Closed Season: Closed Season: •• 2 gallons whole or 1 pint per harvester per day; •• Sport Season open July 25–26, 2018 •• May 16–Oct. 14 •• June, July, Aug. in Dixie, Wakulla, Levy counties. no more than 10 gallons whole, or ½ gallon meat per •• Regular Season opens Aug. 6 through March 31 •• July, Aug., Sept. in all other areas except Apalachicola vessel anytime Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Bay which has open areas year-round. Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 1 gal. claws per harvester or 2 gal. per vessel, whichever Remarks •• Sport Season: 6 per harvester in Monroe County and is less Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• Harvest allowed only in state waters of the Gulf of Mexico Biscayne National Park, 12 per harvester in all other •• 2 bags per harvester or vessel except Apalachicola Bay from the Pasco-Hernando county line, to the west bank harvest areas. Remarks of the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County. It is illegal to •• Regular Season: 6 per harvester in all areas •• 5 traps maximum. Visit MyFWC.com for statewide trap Remarks construction requirements and specific requirements •• Aplachicola Bay: special bag limits and other harvest harvest, possess and land bay scallops on waters outside Remarks open harvest area. that apply in Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier. Illegal restrictions apply. See MyFWC.com for detailed •• Recreational trapping prohibited. Spiny lobster permit to possess whole crab. Harvest of egg-bearing information. required when license required. Harvest of egg-bearing prohibited. •• Apalachicola Bay has summer & winter seasons/areas. females prohibited. •• Harvest from approved areas during daylight hours only. •• Go to FloridaAquaculture.com to determine the Open or Closed status of shellfish harvesting areas. •• May not harvest half hour after official sunset until half p (Hard) l Crab, Blue  hour before official sunrise. •• 1 Bag = 60 lbs. or two 5 gal. buckets (whole in shell) Closed Season: Minimum Size Limits: Closed Season: •• Harvest prohibited in any harvest area that is in the •• April & May closed in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, •• 1" thick across hinge •• Regional trap closures apply. Visit MyFWC.com for 2018 Closed status as determined by the Florida Department Flagler & Clay counties trap closure dates and locations. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• One 5 gal. bucket per harvester or 2 per vessel (whole Daily Recreational Bag Limit: •• 5 gallons heads on per harvester or vessel per day, in shell) •• 10 gallons whole per harvester whichever is less Remarks Remarks Remarks •• Illegal to harvest from closed areas. •• 5 traps maximum. Trap requirements apply. Harvest of •• Visit: MyFWC.com/Fishing and select "Saltwater", •• Go to www.FloridaAquaculture.com for allowable egg-bearing crabs prohibited. "Regulations" and "Shrimp" for additional regulations harvesting areas. specific to Dade, Nassau and Duval •• May not harvest half hour after official sunset until half hour before official sunrise.

Sharks

Daily Recreational Bag Limit: Retainable with a 54" fork length minimum p  T •• 1 per harvester or 2 per vessel, whichever is less. Blue, oceanic whitetip, porbeagle, shortfin mako (not illustrated). Remarks •• The retainable sharks are managed as a group for bag limit purposes. In other words, you can only harvest one per day and the shark that you harvest must be one of the retainable species. •• Hook-and-line gear only. Bull Common Thresher •• See list of prohibited species below.

Nurse Spinner Retainable Sharks with no minimum size limit p T

Atlantic Sharpnose Blacknose Blacktip

Bonnethead Finetooth Smooth Dogfish

Prohibited Species

It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell or exchange the following species: Goliath Grouper (Jewfish), , , Atlantic Angel Shark, Basking Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Sixgill Shark, Bigeye Thresher Shark, Bignose Shark, Reef Shark, Caribbean Sharpnose Shark, , Galapagos Shark, Lemon Shark, Longfin Mako Shark, Narrowtooth Shark, Night Shark, , Sand Tiger Shark, Sandbar Shark, Sevengill Shark, Sixgill Shark, Smalltail Shark, Spiny Dogfish, Whale Shark, White Shark, Tiger Shark, Scalloped, Smooth, and Shark, Manta Ray, Devil Ray, Spotted Eagle Ray, Longbill Spearfish, Mediterranean Spearfish, , Queen , Calico , , Stony, Hard and Fire Corals, Sea Fans, Bahama Starfish, and Longspine Urchin. Harvest of live rock in state waters is prohibited. Puffer fish harvest is prohibited in Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.

FWC – Division of Marine Management, 2590 Executive Center Circle East, Tallahassee, FL 32301 Phone: 850-487-0554 This publication is provided as a guide to Florida fishing laws and regulations. The Florida Administrative Code is the final authority on fishing laws. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) strives to ensure information in this booklet is accurate, but assumes no liability for any errors that occur in this publication.