Stone Crab Limits
Stone Crab Harvesting Gear
- It is unlawful to use any device on the taking of stone crabs that can puncture,
crush, or injure the crab body, such as spears, grains, grabs, hooks, or similar devices
- Maximum of five (5) blue crabs traps per person as described in the summary of
stone crab trapping rules below
Stone Crab Trapping Rules
- Five trap maximum
- Buoy must have a legible "R" at least two inches high, permanently
affixed to it. Buoys are not required if trap is fished from a dock.
- Trap shall have harvesters name and address permanently affixed to it in legible
letters.
- Traps must be pulled manually (not by a trap puller). Any vessel that is rigged
with a trap puller will be considered a commercial vessel and the appropriate licenses will be required.
- Traps must be pulled only during daylight hours.
- Traps must not be placed in navigational channels of the intracoastal waterways,
or in navigational channels maintained and marked by any county, municipal, state or federal governmental agency.
- A Florida recreational fishing license is required to harvest stone crabs under
the recreational fishing regulations.
- Stone crab trap specifications are the same for recreational and commercial harvesters.
Trap specifications may be found in Rule 68B-45.004, Florida Administrative Code.
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