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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

 

GIS map

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.

Legare Anchorage Boundaries

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.

More Information