South Florida, it’s that time of year again. Stone crabs will be back in season beginning on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
The season, which runs from Oct. 15 through May 1, is a busy time for fishermen all across the state of Florida.
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According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, these are the trap specifications and regulations for the 2024-2025 season:
Minimum Size Limit: 2 7/8 inches; only claws may be harvested.
Daily Bag Limit: 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less.
Harvest from egg-bearing crabs prohibited.
State Waters Harvest Seasons: Open Oct. 15 - May 1 (closed on May 2)
Traps may be placed in the water 10 days prior to the opening of the season, but once placed, you may not tend to the traps until the start of the season, at which time you may begin harvesting.
- Maximum trap size is 24 inches by 24 inches by 24 inches or a volume of 8 cubic feet
- Traps can be made from either wood, wire or plastic
- The throat or entrance must be 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches
- Throat must be no larger than 5 1/2 by 3 1/8 inches in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade
- If the throat or entrance is round, it cannot exceed 5 inches in diameter
- Round throats prohibited in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties
- The trap must have a degradable panel that is 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches and is made of cypress or untreated pine slat no thicker than ¾ of an inch
- Wire traps must have at least three unobstructed escape rings (2 3/8 inches in diameter) located on a vertical side of the trap.
- For the 2024-2025 stone crab season and beyond, an unobstructed escape ring 2 3/16 inches in diameter to be located within a vertical exterior trap wall for all recreational and commercial plastic or wood stone crab traps is required.
Recreational fishers aged 16 and older must register online before they start using traps. To register, click on this link.
For more information about the 2024-2025 stone crab season, click on this link.