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Shrimping Rules and Regulations for Florida Waters.

Recreational shrimpers use dip nets, traps, cast nets, frame nets, Nets that open with the flow of the current.

Winter Shrimping is a mostly a night time activity so you will need lights, submersible lights works best as it illuminates the water to you can see shrimp as they flow by your boat, so that you may see them swimming by.

Shrimping can be done from a boat, seawall, or bridge. The tides can be crucial. Recreational Shrimping bag limits here in Florida are 5 gallons, called a Full Pull, check with your local regulations.

On the East Coast of The Florida Winter Shrimp will run from October thru June, and the shrimp will run on the east coast from July and August, and the shrimp will be running on the ST. Johns River in NE Florida, so you just have to go and see if they are running on those months.

Don't forget to bring a fishing pole and bug repellant to keep you occupied while waiting for them. The lights attract Red Drum and Sea Trout, along with and other nocturnal predators and will hit a rubber jig or light bait such as shrimp and mullet. When I see a Trout in my Shrimp Lights, I like to free line a live Shrimp in front of the light and the Trout is sure to get it as it swims by the Trout.

Note: A Florida saltwater fishing license is required for shrimping, and the Shrimping Bag Limit is 5 gallons per boat, not per person.

Shrimping Rules and Regulations for Florida Waters.

Recreational Shrimping Regulations

Bag Limit: Individuals can take 5 gallons, heads on, per harvester per day. Possession limit of no more than 5 gallons, heads on, per vessel at any time regardless of the number of persons onboard.

Size limit: None

Closed season: April and May closed in Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler and Clay counties.

Closed areas: Contact your nearest FWC Law Enforcement office for local restrictions.

License requirement: Recreational saltwater fishing license (resident or non-resident), unless a recreational saltwater fishing license exemption applies.

*View the full Recreational Shrimping Restrictions.

Allowable recreational nets for the harvest of shrimp:

• Landing or dip net with an opening no larger than 96 inches around the perimeter.
• Cast net with a stretched length (the distance from the horn at the center of the net, with the net gathered   and pulled taut, to the lead line) no greater than 14 feet.
• Push net - "Push net" means a mesh net or bag attached to the outer edges of a triangular or rectangular rigid frame with a handle attached that is fished by being pushed across the bottom by a person wading.
• A beach or haul seine with a mesh area no larger than 500 square feet, mesh size no large than 2 inches stretched mesh, and may not be made of monofilament.
• One frame net with an opening no larger than 16 feet around the perimeter, if deployed from a vessel or from a structure other than an operational bridge or causeway or catwalk attached to such bridge or causeway.  "Frame net" means a net in the form of an elongated bag kept open by a rigid frame that is buoyed by floats and is not fished or dragged along the bottom.  A Frame net that is dragged or towed is considered to be a trawl, which is not allowed for the recreational harvest of shrimp. Frame nets cannot be used to harvest shrimp in any waters off of Dade County.

Shrimp Trap Guidelines

• Harvesters can use up to four shrimp traps.
• Shrimp traps cannot exceed the following dimensions: 36 inches long by 24 inches wide by 12 inches high. Shrimp traps also cannot have external or unattached wings, weirs or other devices intended to funnel shrimp into the trap.
• The harvester's name and address shall be securely affixed to each trap.  Any  trap not having proper identification is subject to confiscation by the commission.
• Any shrimp trap on public property which is not attended by the person whose name is affixed to the trap is subject to confiscation by the commission.

Baiting Information

A person recreationally harvesting shrimp may use a cast net in conjunction with nonmetal poles to bait shrimp while adhering to the following rules:

• No more than five poles shall be set at any one time by any person.
• Each pole may not exceed one inch in diameter.
• Poles shall be driven into the bottom, set no closer than 10 yards apart and the distance between the first and last pole shall not exceed 50 yards.
• Poles shall only be set, fished and retrieved during daylight hours. The term "daylight hours" means the period beginning 1/2 hour before official sunrise and continuing through 1/2 hour after official sunset, each day. All poles shall be removed each day by 1/2 hour after official sunset.
• Each pole shall be marked with white reflective tape.
• No pole shall be set within 50 yards of any dock, pier, public boat landing or ramp, seawall, jetty or bridge.
• Poles shall be tended at all times. The term "tend" means that the harvester is within 100 yards of the nearest pole at all times.