Bay Scallop Season in Florida now open
Photo of scallop by Carol Lyn Parrish, courtesy of FWC
•Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River and Homosassa): July 1-Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters from the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County to the Hernando–Pasco county line.
•Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County (including Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks): July 1-Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County to the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County.
•Dixie County and a portion of Taylor County runs June 15-Sept. 7 (Labor Day). This includes all state waters from the Suwannee River to the Fenholloway River and includes the towns of Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee.
•Pasco County: July 17-26. This region includes all state waters south of the Hernando–Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse, including all waters of the Anclote River.
•Joseph Bay/Gulf County: Aug. 16-Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County.
DAILY BAG LIMITS, July 1-Sept. 7 in this area and all season long in other areas when open (regular bag and vessel limits apply) is 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1/2 gallon (4 pints) bay scallop meat per vessel. Vessel limits do not allow an individual to exceed their personal bag limit.
SCALLOP REGULATIONS: •Scallops may be collected by hand or with a landing or dip net. •There is no commercial harvest allowed for bay scallops in Florida. •Direct and continuous transit of legally harvested bay scallops is now allowed through closed areas. Boaters may not stop their vessels in waters that are closed to harvest and must proceed directly to the dock or ramp to land scallops in a closed area.
BOATER & SCALLOPER SAFETY: •Wear a life jacket when underway and •do not drink and boat. When scalloping in open water, •divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device, and within 100 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device if on a river, inlet or navigation channel. •Boat operators must slow to idle speed when traveling within 300 feet of a divers-down flag or device in open water, or within 100 feet of one on a river, inlet or navigational channel.
TRASH - STOW IT, DON'T THROW IT: Stow your trash securely on your vessel so that it doesn’t blow out, and do not discard empty scallop shells in the Hernando or Crystal rivers. Scallop shells may be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.
CITIZEN SCIENCE: Help FWC’s scallop researchers by completing an online survey at svy.mk/bayscallops. Harvesters can indicate where they harvested scallops, how many they collected and how long it took to harvest them.