Florida Saltwater Fishing Limits
Recreational Size and Creel Limits for Florida State Waters
Florida's coastal waters are home to thousands of marine species with the majority of these species having no specific regulations regarding bag limits, size limits, gear restriction or closed seasons. These species are often referred to as "unregulated species," although the name can be a bit misleading. Florida state law provides that for any marine species not having specific regulations, harvesting more than 100 pounds or two fish (whichever is the greater amount) constitutes a commercial quantity and requires a commercial license. This means the recreational harvest limit for any unregulated species is 100 pounds or two organisms if the combined weight of the two organisms exceeds 100 pounds.
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PROHIBITED SPECIES
It is unlawful to harvest, possess, land, purchase, sell or exchange the following species:
Goliath Grouper (Jewfish), Nassau Grouper, Sawfish, Atlantic Angel Shark, Basking Shark, Bigeye Sand Tiger Shark, Bigeye Thrasher Shark, Bignose Shark, Caribbean Reef Shark, Caribbean Sharpnose Shark, Dusky Shark, Galapagos Shark, Lemon Shark, Longfin Mako Shark, Narrowtooth Shark, Night Shark, Silky Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Sandbar Shark, Sevengill Shark, Sixgill Shark, Smalltail Shark, Spiny Dogfish Shark, Whale Shark, White Shark, Tiger Shark, Scalloped, Smoth, and Great hammerhead Shark., Manta Ray, Devil Ray, Spotted Eagle Ray, Longbill Spearfish, Mediterranean Spearfish, Sturgeon, Queen Conch, Calico Scallop, Black Coral, Stony, Hard and Fire Corals, Sea Fans, Bahama Starfish, and Longspine Urchin. Harvest live rock in state waters is prohibited. Puffer fish harvest is prohibited Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin Counties.
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For more information and to see if there are any changes, please visit www.myfwc.com or call 850-487-0554
Source: www.myfwc.com
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To see an image of the fish, all you have to do is hover on the area or click on the section.
Size Limit: 12" Min TL Daily Creel Limit: 8 per person No more than 50 on the vessel during March & April
Size Limit: 15" Min. with 20" max (1 may kept over 20") TL Daily Creel Limit: NW Zone - 5 per harvester SW Zone - 4 per harvester SE Zone - 4 per harvester NE Zone - 4 per harvester
Size Limit: 18" Min. - 27" Max. TL Daily Creel Limit: 2 per harvester per day in the NE Zone and 1 per harvester in the NW and S Zone. Off the water possession limit of 6 fish. Catch & release only in the SW Region
Size Limit: 33" Min. FL Daily Creel Limit: 1 per harvester not to exceed 2 per vessel - Gulf 1 per harvester, not to exceed 6 per vessel - Atlantic
Size Limit: 24" Min. FL Daily Creel Limit: 3 per harvester - Gulf 2 per harvester - Atlantic
Size Limit: 12 inch FL Daily Creel Limit: 15 per harvester
Size Limit: 11" Min. FL Daily Creel Limit: 6 per person
Size Limit: 24" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 2 per harvester - Gulf 1 per harvester - Atlantic Atlantic Season - Closed Jan 1 - Apr 30 Gulf - State waters (except Franklin, Wakulla, Jefferson and Taylor Counties) open June 1 - Dec 31
Size Limit: 20" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 2 per harvester - Gulf 3 per harvester - Atlantic Gulf - year round Atlantic - March 1 - Dec 31
Size Limit: 20" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 4 per harvester - Gulf 3 per harvester - Atlantic Gulf - year round Atlantic - Mar 1 - Dec 31
Size Limit: 16" Min. - Gulf 20" Min - Atlantic TL Daily Creel Limit: 4 per harvester - Gulf 3 per harvester - Atlantic Gulf - year round Atlantic - Mar 1 - Dec 31
Size Limit: 34" Min. - Gulf 28" Min - Atlantic FL Daily Creel Limit: 1 per person Atlantic - year round Gulf - visit myfwc.com for current open season
Size Limit: 15" Min. - Gulf 12" Min - Atlantic FL Daily Creel Limit: 1 per harvester - Gulf 10 per harvester - Atlantic Gulf - check myfwc.com for current season Atlantic - open year round
Size Limit: 12" min Daily Creel Limit: 10 per harvester
Size Limit: 18" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 2 per person
Size Limit: 14"-22" Min. FL Daily Creel Limit: 5 per day Fish Aggregate
Size Limit: 14"-22" Min. FL Daily Creel Limit: 5 per day Fish Aggregate
Size Limit: 27" Min. CFL Daily Creel Limit: 3 fish per person daily bag limit and possession limit.
Size Limit: 27" Min. CFL Daily Creel Limit: No Creel Limit
Size Limit: 16" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 2 per person State and Federal Waters Recreational state and federal waters (includes for-hire operations without federal reef fish permit but only in state waters): June 11-July 20 For-hire with federal reef fish permit: June 1-July 21 check myfwc.com for current seasons
Size Limit: 10" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: 10 per person Open Year Roung
Size Limit: 8" Min. TL Daily Creel Limit: State: Default bag limit of 100 pounds Federal: 20 under their 20-reef fish aggregate
Size Limit: 10" Min - State 12" Min - Federal. TL Daily Creel Limit: State: 5 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit Federal: 10 per person within the 10 snapper aggregate bag limit
Size Limit: None Daily Creel Limit: 1 per person per day
Size Limit: None Daily Creel Limit: 1 per person per day
Snapper are managed differently in the Gulf versus the Atlantic and in state versus federal waters.
Gulf state waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles.
Atlantic state waters are from shore to 3 nautical miles.