The two-day lobster miniseason is next week.
Boaters, divers and snorkelers are expected to converge en masse on South Florida waters for a chance at scoring the delicacy that is the Florida spiny lobster.
The two-day “miniseason” for the crustaceans starts at the strike of midnight Wednesday and ends at 11:50 p.m. Thursday.
It’s called miniseason because the short stretch comes ahead of the regular commercial and recreational spiny lobster season that runs Aug. 6 through March 31. Miniseason runs every last consecutive Wednesday and Thursday of July.
Miniseason is a statewide event, but Keys waters are a hot spot for lobster hunters. Expect many more cars and trucks on the road along the island chain, many pulling boats. There will also be more vessels on the water.
That’s why you’ll have a hard time finding locals who are ambivalent about it. Most fall into two camps. They either consider miniseason a welcome jolt to the slower summer tourism business — or a headache that ties up traffic along the Overseas Highway and creates hazardous conditions on the bay, ocean and gulf.
WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE HEADING OUT ON THE WATER
Going on the hunt for spiny lobsters, which unlike their Maine lobster cousins are clawless, requires following a lot of laws you need to know before heading out.
“Miniseason is a great time for residents and visitors alike, and I want to ensure everyone is aware of the law, and behaving in a responsible, and safe, manner,”
Monroe County Sheriff Rick Ramsay said in a statement last week.
The Keys sheriff’s office will have extra deputies on the road, boat ramps and on the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and Gulf of Mexico to make sure everyone is following these rules.
The main law enforcement presence on the water, however, will be officers with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
And, following the law or not, there’s a good chance your vessel will get boarded by FWC