DIXIE COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – For scallop lovers, the first day of Florida’s annual bay scallop season is like Christmas morning. That makes today like Christmas Eve eve.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) says the 2024 recreational bay scallop season in the Fenholloway – Suwannee River Zone opens on Saturday, June 15. The eager anticipation is real.
The season closes Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.
This includes all state waters in Dixie County, a portion of Taylor County including the towns of Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, and a portion of Levy County. Other zones along the Gulf coast open in a few weeks.
Bag limits
The daily bag limit from June 15-30 in this area is one gallon of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 cup shucked bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 5 gallons whole bay scallops in the shell or 2 pints (4 cups) shucked bay scallop meat per vessel.
From July 1 through Labor Day in this area the recreational limits are 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or 1/2 gallon (4 pints) shucked bay scallop meat per vessel.
Harvest of bay scallops is permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net.
Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops though there are some exceptions.
For information on bay scallop regulations, click here. To purchase a saltwater fishing license, click here.
Boater and scalloper safety
If you are a first-time scalloper, here are a few things to remember that will make diving for scallops safer for divers and boaters:
- When scalloping in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a correctly displayed divers-down flag or within 100 feet of a divers-down flag if on a river, inlet or navigation channel.
- Always operate your boat at idle speed when traveling within 300 feet of a divers-down flag in open water or within 100 feet of a divers-down flag on a river, inlet or navigational channel.
For more information on boating safety, click here.
Seagrass awareness
Boaters should avoid traveling through seagrass beds in shallow water. This can cause prop scars.
The FWC says seagrasses are the principal food for endangered marine animals such as manatees and green sea turtles. They also act as natural filters to help purify the water and serve as important habitat for a wide variety of marine life, like the bay scallop, according to the FWC.
It is a violation of Florida law to damage seagrass beds in some areas within state waters.