FLORIDA – Florida’s spiny lobster season opens with the two-day recreational mini-season on July 27 and 28, 2022, followed by the regular commercial and recreational lobster season, which starts Aug. 6 and runs through March 31, 2023.
“Spiny lobster season is an exciting time for anglers of all ages to be on the water,” said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Commissioner Robert Spottswood.
“It’s also a great time to practice safe boating and take care around Florida’s coral reefs.”
Learn more about bag limits, size limits, where to harvest, and other regulations at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Lobster” under the “Crabs, Lobster and other Shellfish” tab.
If you plan to lobster in the Keys, another great resource is the Monroe County Tourist Development Council website KeysLobsterSeason.com.
Don’t forget to get your license and spiny lobster permit at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
Looking to keep up to date on Florida’s saltwater fishing regulations? Find them on the Fish Rules app. Learn more at FishRulesApp.com or follow Fish Rules at Instagram.com/FishRulesApp or Facebook.com/FishRulesApp.
Be safe when diving for lobster. The FWC recommends wearing a life jacket when underway and not drinking while boating.
When lobstering in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device and within 100 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device if near an inlet or navigation channel.
Boat operators traveling within 300 feet of a divers-down flag or device in open water or within 100 feet of one on an inlet or navigational channel must slow to idle speed.
For more information, visit MyFWC.com/Boating/Regulations and click on “Divers-down Warning Devices.”
