Stone crab season, Oct. 15

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)

The recreational and commercial stone crab harvest season started Oct. 15, 2024 and will remain open through May 1, closing May 2, 2024.

The minimum claw size limit is 2-7/8 inches.

As a reminder, on all stone crab traps, both recreational and commercial, made of plastic or wood, an unobstructed escape ring measuring 2-3/16 inches in diameter must be located within a vertical exterior trap wall.

Recreational Trap Registration

Recreational stone crab harvesters who are age 16 and older (including those normally exempt from needing a license) are required to complete an online, no-cost recreational stone crab trap registration each year. To register, visit myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/stone-crab.

Upon completion of registration, each person will receive unique trap registration numbers that must be included on each trap, along with the owner’s full name and address. This information must be legible and permanently attached to each trap.

Other tips and regulations

Care should be taken when removing the claws so as to not permanently injure the crab.

Claws may not be taken from egg-bearing stone crabs. Stone crabs may not be harvested with any device that can puncture, crush or injure a crab’s body. Examples of devices that can cause this kind of damage include spears and hooks.

Recreational harvesters may take a daily bag limit of 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less, and may use up to five stone crab traps per person.

Traps that are not being fished should be removed from the water to avoid ghost fishing, a process in which marine species get caught in the trap for extended periods of time and are not harvested.

Stone crab regulations are the same in state and federal waters.

For more information on harvesting stone crabs for recreation, trap specifications, commercial stone crab regulations and licensing information, go online to myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/stone-crab/.

Keep up to date with Florida fishing regulations on your phone by downloading the Fish Rules app in the App Store or Google Play. Learn more at FishRulesApp.com.