Oyster regulations in Florida

Clams & oysters · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? A oyster is a keeper today if it measures at least 3 inches, with 2 bags per person or vessel per day (bag ≈ 10 gallons / 60 lb).

Oyster size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Florida approved harvest areas	October 1 – June 30	3 inch minimum	2 bags per person or vessel per day (bag ≈ 10 gallons / 60 lb)

Notes

Harvest only when FDACS has the area open. Recreational saltwater license required unless exempt.

Exact Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission wording

Season: Closed July 1 – Sept 30 statewide (Dixie, Levy, Wakulla closed June 1 – Aug 31); Apalachicola Bay closed except ABRO permit holders Oct 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027 weekends
Size: 3 inches
Limit: 2 bags per person or vessel per day, whichever is less (bag = two 5-gallon buckets, one 10-gallon bucket or 60 lb)
Florida state waters (approved harvest areas) — as printed: “Oysters, statewide (excluding Apalachicola Bay) — Bag limit: Two bags per person or vessel, whichever is less, per day. Minimum size: 3 inches. Dixie, Levy, and Wakulla counties are closed June 1 to Aug. 31; elsewhere the closure is July 1 to Sept. 30.”

Source: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).

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About the oyster

Species of bivalve

The eastern oyster —also called the Atlantic oyster, American oyster, or East Coast oyster—is a species of true oyster native to eastern North and South America. Other names in local or culinary use include the Wellfleet oyster, Virginia oyster, Malpeque oyster, Blue Point oyster, Chesapeake Bay oyster, and Apalachicola oyster. C. virginica ranges from northern New Brunswick south through parts of the West Indies to Venezuela. It is farmed in all of the Maritime provinces of Canada and all Eastern Seaboard and Gulf states of the United States, as well as Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. It was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th century and is common in Pearl Harbor.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for Oyster in Florida?

3 inch minimum in Florida state waters.

How many Oyster can you keep per day in Florida?

2 bags per person or vessel per day (bag ≈ 10 gallons / 60 lb).

When is Oyster season in Florida?

October 1 – June 30.

Is my Oyster a keeper today?

A oyster is a keeper today if it measures at least 3 inches, with 2 bags per person or vessel per day (bag ≈ 10 gallons / 60 lb).