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Lobster Mini-Season Gets Underway Wednesday

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Thousands of divers, snorkelers and hungry 'bug' hunters will hit the water Wednesday for the kick off of the state's two day sport lobster season.

This year's 'mini-season' is expected to attract nearly 60,000 divers to the state. It will kick off at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday and end at 12-midnight on Thursday.

According to state law, during the two-day sport lobster season, divers and snorkelers can take up to six lobsters per person daily in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park, 12 per person per day for the rest of Florida.

The lobsters must have a carapace length greater than 3 inches to be legally taken during the open season. Divers must possess a measuring device, and lobsters must be in the water while they are measured.

Taking egg-bearing females is prohibited.

The spiny lobsters must remain in whole condition until they are brought to shore.  Any device that might puncture, penetrate or crush the shell of the lobster may not be used.

Click Here for the rules of this year's mini-season in Miami-Dade and Broward.

Click Here for the rules of this year's mini-season for Monroe County.

Night diving for spiny lobsters during the two-day sport season is not allowed in Monroe County. Additionally, there is no lobster hunting in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park during the two-day season.

Lobster harvest is also prohibited at all times in Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, Biscayne Bay/Card Sound Spiny Lobster Sanctuary, certain areas in Pennekamp Park, and no-take areas in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

You must have a recreational saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster permit unless you are exempt from recreational license requirements. Nearly 300-thousand spiny lobster permits have been issued so far, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.

The regular lobster season runs from August 6th to March 31st and has a daily bag limit of six lobsters per day.

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