Every July the coastal areas of Florida open up to lobster (bug) hunters in pursuit of their share of the bug bounty when the official mini lobster season kicks off. There are two Florida Lobster Seasons, the 2 day mini season and the 8 month regular lobster season.
The mini lobster season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July so this year the mini season arrives in the middle of next week on July 24th and 25th. Expect to see a lot of dive flags and folks in the water 24/7 during the two day dash for the delicious.
Did you know?
According to the U.S. National Park Service, Florida lobster mini-season was established in 1987in order to provide recreational divers with the opportunity to harvest lobsters before the regular August–March spiny lobster season commences and commercial crews take over with their traps.
The regular 8 month lobster season is always August 6 through March 31.
2024 Season
Season: July 24-25, 2024 (last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July each year, for residents and non-residents) and July 14, 2024 (for Florida residents and only in state waters, see Executive Order 24-13 for more information)
Daily Bag Limit: 6 per person for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park; 12 per person for rest of Florida
Possession limit on the water: equal to the daily bag limit
Possession limit off the water: equal to the daily bag limit on July 14 and 24, 2024, and double the daily bag limit on July 25, 2024.
Possession limits are enforced on and off the water.
Possession of spiny lobster in federal waters on the July 14, 2024, harvest date is prohibited.
Minimum Size Limit: Carapace length must be larger than 3 inches, measured in the water. Possession and use of a measuring device required at all times. Find out how to measure a spiny lobster.
Night Diving: Prohibited in Monroe County (ONLY during sport season). Diving is defined as swimming at or below the surface of the water.
Prohibited Areas: Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season. At all times, harvest of lobster is prohibited in Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, no-take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, in the Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, and in the five Coral Reef Protection Areas in Biscayne National Park.
Fishing Charters: For the July 14, 2024, special harvest day, charter captains who are Florida residents can be hired. All charter customers on the special harvest day must also be Florida residents and carry proof of residency. Charter customers do not have to be Florida residents for the regular sport season dates (July 24-25, 2024)