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Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano

Permit Pompano Collage

Florida Pompano: Trachinotus carolinus

African Pompano: Alectis ciliaris

Permit: Trachinotus falcatus

Regulations (state and federal waters unless noted)

Pompano spz

Minimum Size Limit: 11" fork length

Daily Bag Limit: 6 per harvester

Season: Open year-round

Allowable Gear: Hook and line, cast net and beach or haul seine only

Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ)

The Pompano Endorsement Zone (PEZ)  is a zone created that allows commercial fishermen who hold a pompano endorsement (PE) to use gill nets legally for pompano in federal waters off Florida. This zone is from federal waters lying between 25°09' North Latitude (Cape Sable) and 26°00' North Latitude (Hurricane Pass in Collier County) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pompano spz

Minimum Size Limit: 24" fork length

Daily Bag Limit: 2 per harvester

Vessel Limit: No more than 2 per vessel

Season: Open year-round

Allowable Gear: 

  • State waters: Hook and line only.
  • Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing.

Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.

 

Pompano spz

Special Permit Zone (SPZ)

The Special Permit Zone includes state and adjacent federal waters south of a line running due east from Cape Florida in the Atlantic at 25° 40' North Latitude, waters of Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway, and south of a line just south of Cape Sable running due west through federal waters at 25° 09' North Latitude.   

Minimum Size Limit: 22" fork length

Daily Bag Limit: 1 per harvester

Vessel Limit: No more than 2 per vessel

Season: Closed April 1-July 31

Allowable Gear: 

  • State waters: Hook and line only.
  • Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing.

Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited

Slot Limit: Not less than 11" or more than 22" fork length; may possess 1 over 22" included in the per person bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: 2 per harvester

Vessel Limit: No more than 2 over 22" per vessel

Season: Open year-round

Allowable Gear: 

  • State waters: Hook and line only.
  • Federal waters: Hook and line and spearing.

Prohibited Gear: harvest prohibited by or with the use of any multiple hook in conjunction with live or dead natural bait; snatching prohibited

Special regulations apply for this species when fishing in Biscayne National Park.