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Divers, Boaters Hit The Water For Lobster Mini-Season

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - While most of us were sleeping, boaters and divers were out on the water early Wednesday morning to take advantage of the first day of lobster mini-season.

The two-day mini-season, which began at midnight, runs through midnight Thursday.

By dawn, some had already caught their daily limit and returned to the marina.

"I can't believe we were the first ones back," said Greg Travaline as he returned to the Crandon Park Marina on Key Biscayne. "We've done it a couple of years and to be honest with you we just have a good technique, we have a couple of spots and we've got a really good set of lights on our boat."

"It was amazing," said Raquel Case. "For some reason there weren't many boats out there this year which means it made it even better. We found our spot and got it done in 30 minutes. It was 12 (lobsters) each and we rocked."

Some who returned to the dock said they've been waiting for this day all year.

READ: Lobster Mini-Season Off To Deadly Start In Broward

"It's challenging, it's thrilling, just the getting ready and whole atmosphere of building up from last year," said George Pantelaras. "We have been planning for this the whole year."

It is important to note that in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park there is a limit of only six lobsters per day per person.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has undercover officers patrolling the waters looking for those who go over their limit or those hunting for 'bugs' without a license.

"We always have people jumping the gun, trying to find the lobster before the season opens, lobstering in the the lobster sanctuaries. We have had a lot of boating safety issues as well with divers down flag not being displayed properly, so there's an array of charges we have already seen and we have been addressing every single one of them," said the FWC's Jorge Pino.

Click Here for the complete rules for mini-seaon.

The regular recreational lobster season runs from August 6th through March 31st, 2015.

Click Here For Summer Knowles Report

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