MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Wednesday and Thursday, you may notice your job or office is a bit short on staff.

At the stroke of midnight on Wednesday, July 25th, thousands of South Florida divers will hit the water for Florida’s annual lobster mini-season.

Law enforcement is expecting large crowds of lobster lovers to hit the water for two days of lobster harvesting.

The special two-day spiny lobster sport season begins at midnight, July 25 and lasts for just 48 hours, ending at 12:00 midnight Thursday. It’s followed by the regular 8-month lobster season which is always Aug. 6 through March 31.

The special two-day sport season occurs on the last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday in July each year to let recreational harvesters collect spiny lobsters before commercial lobster traps are placed in the water on Aug 1.

There are plenty of rules to follow that divers need to know before hitting the water. Here are a few:

• The lobster limit is 6 per person per day for Monroe County and Biscayne National Park and 12 per person per day for the rest of Florida.
• Night diving is prohibited in Monroe County (only during the sport season).
• The lobster carapace must be 3″ or larger, measured in the water.
• Possession and use of a measuring device is required at all times.
• Harvest of lobster is prohibited in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the sport season and in Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and no-take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary during both the 2-day sport season and regular season.

Click here for a Guide to Florida’s Lobster Mini-Season.

And if you need more information, just click here for the FWC website for additional rules, regulations and important information about lobster mini-season.