Spiny lobster sport season starts today

The 2015 spiny lobster season opens with a two-day recreational sport season today and tomorrow, followed by the regular commercial and recreational lobster season, which starts August 6th and runs through March 31st.

During the two-day spiny lobster sport season, divers and snorkelers are allowed to take up to six lobsters per person daily in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park waters and 12 lobsters per person daily in other Florida waters

Recreational lobster fishermen must have a saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster permit; Harvesters also must make sure their spiny lobsters have a carapace length greater than 3 inches to take them, and divers must possess a measuring device and measure all lobsters while in the water. 

It is illegal to harvest egg-bearing females.

And this year divers have an incentive to remove some invasive lionfish while they’re in the water.

Divers can take one extra spiny lobster each day during the two-day sport season if they also harvest 10 or more lionfish first, on the same day.

And If you take a photo of your lionfish and lobster catch during the two-day season, post it on Facebook at LionfishReefRangers; the first 100 submissions will receive a “Be the Predator” T-shirt.

One lucky winner will also win a lifetime saltwater fishing license in a drawing held shortly after the sport season.

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