Counties enforce COVID-19 restrictions on Florida’s lobster miniseason
The lobsters may be one of the few creatures to be thankful for COVID-19.
That’s because a few more of them may escape from our clutches during Wednesday and Thursday’s popular lobster miniseason given some new rules the counties have put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County Parks, for instance, advise marina patrons of restrictions that will include reduced hours and the wearing of masks. Police and park staff will be posted at boat ramps to make sure everyone is following the rules.
Among them: marinas opened at 6 a.m. Wednesday (and will again Thursday) but close at 8 p.m. Lobsters like to come out at night but 8 p.m. doesn’t leave much time for darkness. Midnight launches are out this year.
The county is also enforcing the COVID-19 New Normal Guidelines, which include required facial coverings, social distancing, restricted number of people allowed on boats and separation between groups. The numbers vary depending on how large the boat is, but in general between four and eight adults and some children up to eight or 10 people max on boats ranging from under 25 feet to 37 feet or larger.
Broward County
Broward is following the same miniseason guidelines except marinas’ hours are 5 a.m. and close at 11 p.m.
Monroe County
The Florida Keys, where lobster cages have been stacked high for weeks at storage sites near the water in anticipation of the season, marinas are making adjustments. In Key West, city officials restricted several boat ramps from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday through 11:59 p.m. Thursday.
The ramp at Simonton Street is closed. Another at Riviera Drive is reserved for locals only during miniseason.
At the Key West City Marina at Garrison Bight, 1801 N. Roosevelt Blvd., which is home to a fleet of charter fishing boats, only Key West residents and people with lodging contracts, such as a vacation rental contract or Key West hotel bill, may launch.
Ramps off mile marker 54 and off Aviation Boulevard and Harbor Drive in Marathon and Duck Key will be closed.
Florida lobster miniseason rules
Miniseason is like theater previews, in this case the last Wednesday and Thursdays of July, before regular commercial lobster season starts this summer on Aug. 6.
Florida lobster miniseason rules say that you can bag a daily limit of six per person in Monroe County and Biscayne National Park; 12 per person for the rest of the state.
Lobsters’ minimum carapace length must be larger than three inches, measured in the water. You need to have a measuring device on board at all times.
Miami Herald and FLKeysNews staff writer Gwen Filosa contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 9:56 AM.
