2 snorkelers die and child is hurt as lobster miniseason ends in Florida Keys
Two people died and a child was hurt in separate incidents in the Keys during Florida’s two-day lobster miniseason, which has ended.
Miniseason draws thousands of people to the Keys on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July to catch spiny lobster. It’s the first chance to catch the internationally craved crustacean. The regular season runs from August 6 to March 31.
On Wednesday, the miniseason saw its first death as Clarence Shawver, an 82-year-old from Palm City, was found responsive in Gulf waters about five miles off Grassy Key, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said. He was snorkeling at around 10:45 a.m.
Shawver was taken to Fisherman’s Hospital in Marathon, where he was pronounced dead. Detectives do not suspect foul play.
On Thursday, around 8:30 a.m., Raymond Bruce Sasser, a 61-year-old from Loxahatchee, lost consciousness while snorkeling off Islamorada, deputies said. He was taken to Mariners Hospital in Tavernier, but was pronounced dead. Detectives, again, did not suspect foul play.
A few hours later, around 11 a.m., a child was injured on their leg by a boat propeller. They were in the Gulf waters about five miles off Big Pine Key. The child was airlifted to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami for treatment.
The sheriff’s office described the 2025 lobster miniseason as “typical.”
“Most people were in compliance and the number of vessel stops, notice-to-appear in court citations and arrest figures were normal [and] typical compared to recent years,” the sheriff’s office said.
Over the two days, deputies did not make any arrests, handed out about 16 mandatory-court-appearance citations and made 526 resource checks, where deputies checked to make sure boaters were following conservation laws.
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 5:39 PM.
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