Florida Charter Fishing

Basic Recreational Saltwater Fishing Regulations
This is a brief summary of regulations governing the taking of saltwater species in Florida for
personal use. It is not intended or designed to provide specific information on commercial
harvesting of these species. The failure to include complete laws, rules, and regulations in this
summary does not relieve persons from abiding by those laws, rules, or regulations. State
waters extend to 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic and 9 nautical miles on the Gulf. Federal
rules apply beyond state waters. For species that do not have an established bag limit, more
than 100 pounds or 2 fish per person per day (whichever is greater), is considered commercial
quantities. A saltwater products license and commercial vessel registration is required to
harvest commercial quantities of unregulated species. Issue Twenty Five, July 2004
Species Minimum Size Limits Closed Season Daily Rec. Bag Limit Remarks
Greater
Amberjack  28” fork 1 per person per day
Lesser
Amberjack
Banded
Rudderfish 
Not less than 14”
or more than 22”
fork
5 Aggregate of lesser
amberjackand 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. All
landed fish must be
reported to NOAA within
24 hours 800-894-5528
Black Drum  
T
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. Go to
www.floridaaquaculture
.com for allowable
harvesting areas
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 day
5 traps maximum. Trap
requirements apply.
Harvest of egg-bearing
crabs prohibited
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 April
1 – Aug. 5 3”
carapace
measured in the
water 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 10 per person per day
Flounder   T 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 in the daily
Grouper aggregate bag
limit
Grouper-Red, 
 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
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. Go to
other areas www.floridaaquaculture
.com for allowable
harvesting areas
Permit &
Pompano  T
Not less than 11”
or more than 20”
fork
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
 T
Not less than 24”
fork
2 fish per person or per
vessel per day whichever
is less.
Hook & line gear only
Red Drum
(Redfish)   T
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
Atlantic
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
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.
See list below for
protected species
Sheepshead  T
12”(See
Remarks)
15 per person per day Measured from the most
forward point of the head
to the rear center edge of
the tail
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”
(see remarks)
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/ day
Atlantic. 4 per person/
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   T (All
species)
Not less than 26”
Dec. 15-Jan. 31
statewide; June,
July, or more
than 34” 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
SpottedSeatrout
  T
Not less than 15”
or more than 20”
N.E. and N.W.
regions -
N.E. and N.W. regions - 5
per person per day S.
Region - 4 per person per
day
(See regional definitions
below)
February
(statewide)
except One fish
over S. Region -
November and
December 20”
per person (See
regional
definitions below)
Swordfish  47” lower jaw
fork length
1per 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   T
15” 2 per person per day
Hook and line gear only
(No snatch hooks)
Weakfish   T 12” 4 per person per day
 Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore (heads & tails intact)  Measured as
total length. T Harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with
live or dead natural bait.
ORNAMENTAL TROPICAL FISH AND PLANTS
Minimum Size Limit (Total length) Spanish Hogfish 2” Spotfin Hogfish 3” Porkfish 11/2”
MAXIMUM SIZE LIMIT (Total length) Angelfish (except Rock Beauty) 8” Butterflyfish,
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
PROTECTED SPECIES Live landing and live well requirements. Harvest in Biscayne National
Park & John Pennekamp State Park prohibited.
It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell, or exchange the following
species: Nassau Grouper, Goliath Grouper (Jewfish), Sawfish, Basking Shark, Whale Shark,
Spotted Eagle Ray, Sturgeon, White Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Manta
Ray, Spiny Dogfish, Longspine Urchin, Stony, Hard and Fire Corals, Sea Fans, Florida Queen
Conch and Bahama Starfish. Harvest of live rock in state waters is prohibited.
“Northeast Region” means all state waters lying north of the Flagler-Volusia County Line to the
Florida-Georgia border, and adjacent federal Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters.
“Northwest Region” means all state waters north and west of a line running due west from the
westernmost point of Fred Howard Park Causeway (28E9.350’N 82E48.398’W.), which is
approximately 1.17 nautical miles south of the Pasco- Pinellas County Line to the Florida-
Alabama border, and adjacent federal EEZ waters. “South Region” means state waters lying
between the Flagler-Volusia County Line on the Atlantic Ocean and the southern boundary of
the Northwest Region on the Gulf of Mexico in Pinellas County and adjacent federal EEZ
waters. SEATROUT REGIONS