📅 Mini-Season Dates

• Starts: Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.
• Ends: Thursday, July 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
• Open to Florida residents and non-residents

🧾 Licensing Requirements

• Recreational Saltwater Fishing License
• Spiny Lobster Permit

Both are required unless exempt. You can get them at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com

🎯 Bag & Possession Limits

Location

Daily Bag Limit

Possession Limit (Water) 6 per person

Possession Limit (Land) 6 per person

Monroe County & Biscayne NP

6 (July 30), 12 (July 31)

Rest of Florida

12 per person

12 per person

12 (July 30), 24 (July 31)

Possession limits apply on and off the water, and per licensed harvester only

📏 Size Limit

• Minimum carapace length: 3 inches
• Must be measured in the water
• Measuring device required at all times

🚫 Prohibited Actions

• No harvesting egg-bearing lobsters
• No spears, hooks, or devices that puncture or crush the shell
• No recreational traps
• No separating tail from body while on/in the water
• No night diving in Monroe County during mini-season
• No harvesting from commercial traps — felony offense

🏴 Dive Flag Rules

• Must display a diver-down flag while in the water
• Boats must idle within:
• 300 ft in open water
• 100 ft in canals

🗺️ Closed Areas

You cannot harvest lobsters in:

• Everglades National Park
• Dry Tortugas National Park
• John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (during mini-season)
• Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary
• Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary no-take zones
• Coral Reef Protection Areas in Biscayne National Park
• City of Layton waters