Spiny Lobster

Trap Fishery

• Traps may be baited and placed in the water beginning the Saturday after mini-season, but cannot be pulled for harvest until the season opens. Traps must be removed from the water by April 10 each year.
• Traps may be worked during daylight hours only.
• Traps may not be placed within 100 feet of the intercoastal waterway or any bridge or seawall.
• Pulling another person's trap without the express written consent of the owner and FWC Law Enforcement is prohibited.
• Harvest is prohibited in designated areas of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
• A person aboard a vessel with a C# and trap certificates may harvest and possess while on the water 50 undersized spiny lobster (shorts) and one short per trap aboard the boat.
• Shorts must be released alive and unharmed upon leaving trap lines (livewell specifications apply). The allowance for shorts applies to the trap fishery only and sale is prohibited.

Spiny Lobster Trap Specifications

• Traps must be constructed of wood or plastic
• Plastic traps must have a degradable panel.
• Refer to the official rules before building or buying traps.
• Wood slat traps must be no larger than 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet or a volume of 12 cubic feet
• These traps shall be constructed with wood slats that are a minimum of 1 ¼ inches wide with a maximum spacing between slats of 2 ¼ inches
• The throat or entrance must be larger than 6 inches by 3 ½ inches and must be located in the top horizontal section of the trap
• A spiny lobster trap tag must be permanently affixed
• The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible spiny lobster endorsement number that is at least 2 inches tall

Dive Fishery

License Requirements:

• All vessels used by persons commercially harvesting lobster by diving, scuba or snorkel must display the Commercial Dive Permit (CD#) on the vessel.
• Dive permits were issued to divers with trip ticket landings between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2003. No additional dive permits will be issued, renewed or replaced except for those that were active in 2004-05. Dive permits not renewed by Sept. 30 of each year are forfeited to the FWC.
• Valid endorsements can be transferred to another fisher.
• Trap certificates cannot be held by a person with a CD#.
• The endorsement holder does not have to be on board the vessel during trips where lobster are harvested.

Regulations:

• 250 lobster per day vessel limit applies in Broward, Dade, Monroe, Collier and Lee counties and adjoining federal waters.
• Recreational bag limit applies when diving at night. Diving is defined as swimming at or below the surface of the water.
• Divers must possess a carapace measuring device and measure lobster in the water.  
• The use of bleach or chemical solutions or simultaneous possession of spiny lobster and any plastic container capable of ejecting liquid is prohibited.
• Harvest from artificial habitat is prohibited.
• Divers must permanently and conspicuously display a "divers down flag" placard on the vessel and affix the CD# to the diagonal stripe with 10" numbers visible from the air and 4" numbers visible from the water.
• Spiny lobster retained as an incidental bycatch in a net or trawl other than a hand-held net may not exceed five percent of the total whole weight of all species possessed (all license requirements apply).
• Spiny lobster may only be sold by or purchased from persons who hold the required licenses and endorsements.
• Federal permit required to possess "wrung" tails in or on state waters. Tails must be at least 5 ½ inches in length (not including muscle tissue).
• Possession of undersized lobster prohibited, except as provided for in the Spiny Lobster Trap Fishery section. Undersized lobster may not be sold.
• Possession of egg-bearing lobster prohibited.
• Use of any device that could puncture or crush the lobster is prohibited.

Vessel Marking Requirements

(applies to commercial stone crab, blue crab and lobster vessels)

• Endorsement numbers on side of vessel must be at least 4 inches tall
• The buoy color must be displayed on the side of the vessel in an 8 inch in diameter circle outlined in contrasting color
• When viewing the vessel from the air, the buoy color must be displayed in a 20 inch diameter circle outlined in contrasting color with the endorsement number affixed beneath in numerals 10 inches tall or larger

Bully Net Fishery

• Bully net endorsement (N#) is required.
• 250 lobster per vessel per day statewide. 
• Bully net commercial vessels must be marked with an endorsement number on both the port and starboard sides in reflective letters that are at least 4 inches tall.
• Trap pullers are prohibited on commercial bully net vessels.
• Cannot have both a bully net and underwater breathing apparatus on vessels used to harvest or transport lobster commercial purposes.