19
Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations
Species & Area
Size Limit
Trip Limit/
Bag Limit
Closed
Season
Other Regulations
Permit p †
Not less than
11” or more
than 20” FL
100 Incidental bycatch,
Only incidental bycatch
allowed outside SPZ
when fishing with nets
targeting other species
in federal waters.
SPZ- Special Permit Zone, which includes all state and federal
waters south of a line running due east from Cape Florida and
south of a line running due west from Cape Sable. Page 9
Pompano p †
11” - 20” FL
Florida pompano without
endorsement - Direct
harvest: 250 pompano
trip limit
Florida pompano with
pompano endorsement
in PEZ - Unlimited
Must have Pompano endorsement to use gill and entangling nets
in the PEZ (Federal waters between Hurricane pass and Cape
Sable in the Gulf).
Must transit all harvested fish directly through state waters to
land without stopping and must be landed within the PEZ. Page 9
Pompano, African • †
24” FL
2 per person or per
vessel whichever is less
State waters: hook and line only; Federal waters: Hook and line
and spearing
No spearing in state waters
Page 9
Red Porgy p
14” TL
50 lbs. daily vessel limit
(Atlantic)
Jan 1 -
April 30
Atlantic Ocean, a person harvesting other species for
commercial purposes during the closure may harvest and
possess three red porgy. During this closed season, the purchase,
sale, or exchange of any red porgy harvested from state waters of
the Atlantic Ocean is prohibited.
Scallops, Calico
None
250 individual meats
per 1lb. sample.
None
Bycatch of other species prohibited. No person shall harvest
calico scallops for commercial purposes within or without the
waters of the state using any gear other than an otter trawl 68B53.003
Shad
(Alabama, American, hickory)
None
Aggregate bag limit
of 10 American shad,
Alabama shad, and
hickory shad per day, nor
possess at anytime more
than 10 such fish.
None
Allowable gear: hook and line only. Spearing prohibited.
Sharks
None
1 shark per person per
day or 2 sharks per
vessel, whichever is less.
Federal
closure
applies
in state
waters.
*FP required. Spearing and filleting prohibited. Finning and
removing heads prohibited in state waters. Purchase and sale
of sharks landed after the closure date is prohibited. A federal
permit is required for sale. Gear and license requirements apply
when prohibited. Hook and line only in state waters.
See: Prohibited Species on p. 24.
Sheepshead p †
12” TL
Incidental bycatch -
50 lbs. shrimp trawls
None
*RS required. Allowable gear: beach or haul seine, cast net,
hook and line, and spearing.
34
Basic Commercial Fishing Regulations
Species & Area
Size Limit
Trip Limit/
Bag Limit
Closed
Season
Other Regulations
Permit p †
Not less than
11” or more
than 20” FL
100 Incidental bycatch,
Only incidental bycatch
allowed outside SPZ
when fishing with nets
targeting other species
in federal waters.
SPZ- Special Permit Zone, which includes all state and federal
waters south of a line running due east from Cape Florida and
south of a line running due west from Cape Sable. Page 9
Pompano p †
11” - 20” FL
Florida pompano without
endorsement - Direct
harvest: 250 pompano
trip limit
Florida pompano with
pompano endorsement
in PEZ - Unlimited
Must have Pompano endorsement to use gill and entangling nets
in the PEZ (Federal waters between Hurricane pass and Cape
Sable in the Gulf).
Must transit all harvested fish directly through state waters to
land without stopping and must be landed within the PEZ. Page 9
Pompano, African • †
24” FL
2 per person or per
vessel whichever is less
State waters: hook and line only; Federal waters: Hook and line
and spearing
No spearing in state waters
Page 9
Red Porgy p
14” TL
50 lbs. daily vessel limit
(Atlantic)
Jan 1 -
April 30
Atlantic Ocean, a person harvesting other species for
commercial purposes during the closure may harvest and
possess three red porgy. During this closed season, the purchase,
sale, or exchange of any red porgy harvested from state waters of
the Atlantic Ocean is prohibited.
Scallops, Calico
None
250 individual meats
per 1lb. sample.
None
Bycatch of other species prohibited. No person shall harvest
calico scallops for commercial purposes within or without the
waters of the state using any gear other than an otter trawl 68B53.003
Shad
(Alabama, American, hickory)
None
Aggregate bag limit
of 10 American shad,
Alabama shad, and
hickory shad per day, nor
possess at anytime more
than 10 such fish.
None
Allowable gear: hook and line only. Spearing prohibited.
Sharks
None
1 shark per person per
day or 2 sharks per
vessel, whichever is less.
Federal
closure
applies
in state
waters.
*FP required. Spearing and filleting prohibited. Finning and
removing heads prohibited in state waters. Purchase and sale
of sharks landed after the closure date is prohibited. A federal
permit is required for sale. Gear and license requirements apply
when prohibited. Hook and line only in state waters.
See: Prohibited Species on p. 24.
Sheepshead p †
12” TL
Incidental bycatch -
50 lbs. shrimp trawls
None
*RS required. Allowable gear: beach or haul seine, cast net,
hook and line, and spearing.
34