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Some
regional gear restrictions may apply to your
County. Call your
local Florida Marine Patrol office for local
regulations.
Nets
The following types of nets may be
used for recreational purposes in Florida
waters:
- Bully nets (for lobster only) no greater
than 3 feet in diameter.
- Frame nets and push nets (for shrimp
only) no greater than 16 feet in perimeter.
- Hand held landing or dip nets no greater
than 96 inches in perimeter.
Cast Nets
Cast nets may not measure greater than a
stretched length of 14 feet. Stretched length is
defined as the distance from the horn at the
center of the net, with the net gathered and
pulled taut, to the lead line. All fishes
harvested with a cast net must adhere to the
regulations set for that species including size
limit, bag limit, and season.
Cast
nets are traditionally used to catch unregulated
fishes for bait, such as spanish sardines,
menhaden, etc. The following regulated fishes
may be harvested with a cast net by recreational
fishermen:
- Black Drum
- Bluefish
- Cobia
- Flounder
- Mullet
- Florida Pompano
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- Red Drum
- Sheepshead
- Shrimp
- Spanish Mackerel
- Spotted Seatrout
- Weakfish
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Traps
Traps must be used in recreational fishing
for stone crab, blue crab, shrimp, pinfish, and
black sea bass, subject to the appropriate
regulations.
Hook-and-Line Gear
Hook-and-Line anglers must tend their gear
at all times to prevent people, marine life, and
shore life from becoming entangled in the line
or injured by the hooks. Also, it is against the
law to intentionally discard any monofilament
netting or line into or onto the waters of the
State of Florida. Monofilament line can--and
does--entangle birds, marine mammals, marine
turtles, and fish, often killing or injuring
them.
Spearing
Spearing is defined as "the catching or
taking of a fish by bowhunting, gigging, spearfishing, or any device used to capture a
fish by piercing its body. Spearing does not
include the catching or taking of a fish by a
hook with hook and line gear or by snagging
(snatch hooking)." The use of powerheads, bangsticks, and rebreathers
remains
prohibited. The following is a list of species
which are prohibited for harvest by spearing.
Any other species not listed which are managed
by the Commission are allowed to be harvested
by spearing.
- Billfish (all species)
- Bonefish
- Nassau Grouper
- Pompano
- Spotted Eagle Ray
- Tarpon
- Spotted Seatrout
- African Pompano
- Sturgeon
- Goliath Grouper
(Jewfish)
- Red Drum
- Permit
- Manta Ray
- Snook
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- Weakfish
- Tripletail
- Sharks
- Blue Crab
- Stone Crab
- Lobster
- Families of ornamental reef fish
(surgeonfish, trumpetfish,
angelfish, butterflyfish,
porcupinefish, cornetfish,
squirrelfish, trunkfish, damselfish,
parrotfish, pipefish, seahorse,
puffers, triggerfish except gray and
ocean)
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You may NOT Spearfish
(Excluding bow hunting and gigging):
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Effective July 1, 2001, spearfishing of
marine and freshwater species in freshwater
is prohibited. Possession of a spear gun in
or on freshwater is also prohibited.
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Within 100 yards of a public
swimming beach, any commercial or public
fishing pier, or any part of a bridge from
which public fishing is allowed.
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Within 100 feet of any part of a jetty
that is above the surface of the sea –
except for the last 500 yards of a jetty
that extends more than 1,500 yards from the
shoreline.
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In Collier County and in
Monroe County from Long Key north to the
Dade County line.
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For any fish for which
spearing is expressly prohibited by law.
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In any body of water under
the jurisdiction of the Department of
Environmental Protection, Division of
Recreation and Parks. (Possession of
spearfishing equipment is prohibited in
these areas, unless it is unloaded and
properly stored.) Anglers who catch and/or
sell fish harvested by spearing are subject
to the same rules and limitations that other
anglers in the state are required to
follow.
Explosives, Etc.
The use of powerheads, explosives,
chemicals, or the discharge of firearms into the
water to kill or harvest marine life is
prohibited in state waters. |
