SlotGaugeCheck a catchHard Clam regulations in Florida
Clams & oysters · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Hard Clam size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida approved harvest areas | Open year-round | 1 inch minimum | 5 gallons per person per day, 10 gallons per vessel |
Notes
- Harvest only when FDACS has the area open.
Exact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wording
- Season
- Open year-round (when FDACS area is open)
- Size
- 1 inch thick across the hinge
- Limit
- 5 gallons per person per day unshucked; 10 gallons per vessel
- Florida state waters (approved harvest areas) — as printed
- “Hard clams (quahogs) — Minimum size: 1 inch thick across the hinge. Bag limit: 5 gallons per person per day, unshucked. Vessel limit: 10 gallons per vessel per day, unshucked. Season: Open year-round.”
Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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About the hard clam
Mollusc species native to the Americas
The hard clam, also known as the round clam, hard-shell clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince Edward Island to the Yucatán Peninsula. It is one of many unrelated edible bivalves that in the United States are frequently referred to simply as clams. Older literature sources may use the systematic name Venus mercenaria; this species is in the family Veneridae, the venus clams.
Read more about Hard clam on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Hard Clam in Florida?
1 inch minimum in Florida state waters.
How many Hard Clam can you keep per day in Florida?
5 gallons per person per day, 10 gallons per vessel.
When is Hard Clam season in Florida?
Open year-round.
Is my Hard Clam a keeper today?
A hard clam is a keeper today if it measures at least 1 inches, with 5 gallons per person per day, 10 gallons per vessel.