Biscayne National Park
The regulations below are specific to Biscayne National Park and are in addition to other fishing regulations.
Regulations
Purpose
Increase size of targeted species within the park by 20%.
Note: Fish smaller than the park-specific size limit can be transited through the park if they were legally harvested outside the park.
Increased recreational and commercial minimum size limits for the following species:
New regulations effective July 1, 2020
Gray (mangrove) snapper 12" TL (changed from 10")
Lane snapper 10" TL (changed from 8")
Mutton snapper* 19" TL (changed from 18")
Schoolmaster snapper 12" TL (changed from 10")
Yellowtail snapper 14" TL (changed from 12")
Red grouper 24" TL (changed from 20")
Bluestriped grunt 10" TL (changed from none)
White grunt 8" TL (changed from none)
Gray triggerfish 14" FL (changed from 12")
Purpose
Increase abundance of targeted species by 20%.
Notes:
Transit of the species listed here in excess of the 10-fish aggregate bag limit is NOT allowed through the park. This does not affect bag limits or transit of species not included in the aggregate.
All species-specific limits still apply. This aggregate limit does not authorize harvest in excess of any species-specific bag limits.
10-fish aggregate recreational bag limit (per person)for the following species harvest inside the park
New regulations effective July 1, 2020
Drums – Spotted seatrout, redfish, black drum
Flounder – Gulf, southern, summer, fringed
Grouper – Red, black, rock hind, red hind, coney, graysby
Jacks – Permit, Florida pompano, African pompano, blue runner, greater amberjack, lesser amberjack, banded rudderfish, crevalle jack, yellow jack
Porgies – Sheepshead, jolthead porgy, whitebone porgy, knobbed porgy, sheepshead porgy
Snapper - Gray, lane, mutton, schoolmaster and yellowtail
Triggerfish – Gray and ocean
Other species - Cero mackerel, great barracuda, all grunts, hogfish, ladyfish, silver jenny, snook species, tripletail
Purpose
Protect areas of high quality corals or threatened species of coral by prohibiting traps
Coordinates
Fowey Rocks Lighthouse CRPA
Point 1: 25° 35.616' N; 80° 5.822' W
Point 2: 25° 35.567' N, 80° 5.592' W
Point 3: 25° 34.423' N, 80° 5.862' W
Point 4: 25° 34.468' N, 80° 6.093' W
Alina’s Reef CRPA
Point 1: 25° 23.601' N, 80° 10.125' W
Point 2: 25° 23.284' N, 80° 9.563' W
Point 3: 25° 22.877' N, 80° 9.841' W
Point 4: 25° 23.194' N, 80° 10.402' W
Marker 3 Reef CRPA
Point 1: 25° 22.534' N, 80° 9.679' W
Point 2: 25° 22.445' N, 80° 9.443' W
Point 3: 25° 21.965' N, 80° 9.663' W
Point 4: 25° 22.055' N, 80° 9.900' W
Lob120 Reef CRPA
Point 1: 25° 21.687' N, 80° 11.311' W
Point 2: 25° 21.671' N, 80° 11.023' W
Point 3: 25° 21.257' N, 80° 11.048' W
Point 4: 25° 21.270' N, 80° 11.338' W
Ball Bouy CRPA
Point 1: 25° 19.379' N, 80° 11.110' W
Point 2: 25° 19.044' N, 80° 10.775' W
Point 3: 25° 18.732' N, 80° 11.155' W
Point 4: 25° 19.067' N, 80° 11.489' W
All traps and all lobster fishing/harvest is prohibited in the following five Coral Reef Protection Areas (CRPAs).
Applies to recreational and commercial harvest.
Purpose
New regulations effective July 1, 2020
Protect hardbottom habitat and reduce bycatch.
Purpose
Reduce conflicts in high-use area.
No-traps are allowed in the 0.3 square miles near the visitor center at park headquarters.
Applies to recreational and commercial traps.
Purpose
Protect threatened, submerged cultural resources found throughout the Legare Anchorage site.
New regulations effective April 1, 2023
No-traps are allowed in the 1.2 square mile area east of Elliot Key.
Applies to recreational and commercial traps.
FWC staff will return in 2025 to provide updates on monitoring and progress toward management goals and to evaluate the effectiveness and need for Coral Reef Protection Areas.
Other BNP-specific regulations
These regulations are currently already in place in the park
- Biscayne Bay-Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary (no lobster harvest) includes BNP waters from shore out to barrier islands. Learn more on the recreational and commercial spiny lobster pages.
- Marine Life (aquarium trade) harvest (includes sponges) prohibited from all waters of BNP. Learn more on the recreational and commercial Marine Life pages.