DIVE · Season Report
Set your alarm, Insiders — the two best days on the Florida dive calendar are almost here. Florida’s spiny lobster sport season, known everywhere the water is warm as “mini-season,” runs Wednesday, July 29 and Thursday, July 30, 2026. That’s 48 hours for recreational divers and snorkelers to get their hands on some bugs before the commercial traps hit the bottom for regular season.
The dates never wander — mini-season is always the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July, for residents and non-residents alike. Then the regular spiny lobster season opens August 6, 2026 and runs through March 31, 2027. But make no mistake: mini-season is the frenzy. Marinas empty before dawn and dive flags dot the reefs from Biscayne Bay clear down to Key West.
Know the Rules Before You Splash
Florida’s lobster regulations are strict and enforcement is heavy — the FWC floods the Keys and Biscayne National Park during these two days, and “I didn’t know” has never once gotten anybody off the hook. Straight from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, here’s what governs the hunt:
Bag limit — 6 lobster per person per day in Monroe County (the Keys) and Biscayne National Park; 12 per person per day everywhere else in Florida.
Size — the carapace must measure larger than 3 inches, and you must measure it in the water before it goes in your bag. A measuring device is required on you at all times.
License — you need a valid Florida recreational saltwater fishing license plus a spiny lobster permit.
No spearing. Bugs come out by hand or with a tickle stick, bully net, hand net, or snare — nothing that punctures the shell.
Egg-bearing females go back, every time. See eggs under the tail, put her back.
Keys-Specific Gotchas
The Keys carry a few extra rules worth knowing. No night diving during the two-day mini-season — harvest is daylight only. And the no-take zones are off-limits, period: Coffins Patch, Sombrero Key, and Looe Key among them. There’s also no diving within 300 feet of a residential or commercial shoreline, including canals and marinas.
Dive Smart
Two days, big crowds, boats everywhere, and a lot of excited people who don’t do this the other 363 days a year — that’s a recipe for the water getting busy fast. Fly your dive flag, keep your head on a swivel for boat traffic, know your limits, and don’t let bug fever talk you into a dive you’re not ready for. The lobster will still be there in August.
See you on the water, Insiders.
Regulations sourced from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (myfwc.com). Confirm current rules and any local ordinances with the FWC before you dive — regulations can change.