Florida’s recreational and commercial stone crab claw harvest season is now open through May 2020 in state and federal waters, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced.
To be harvested, stone crab claws must be at least 2.75 inches in length when measured from the elbow to the tip of the lower immovable portion of the claw.
Harvesters are encouraged to take only one claw, even if both claws are of legal size, so the released crab will be better able to defend itself from predators. There is a recreational daily bag limit of 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel, whichever is less.
Recreational harvesters who are age 16 and older and fish with traps are required to complete an online, no-cost recreational stone crab trap registration and place their registration number on their traps before using them. To register, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com.
For more information in recreational stone crab harvesting, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing.”
