The recreational bay scallop season for 2025 in the Fenholloway – Suwannee River Zone is set to commence on June 15 and will continue until Labor Day, September 1. This zone encompasses all state waters in Dixie County, parts of Taylor County including Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee, and a section of Levy County.
From June 15 through June 30, the daily bag limit in this area is set at one gallon of whole bay scallops in the shell or one cup of shucked bay scallop meat per person. The maximum allowed per vessel per day is five gallons of whole bay scallops or two pints (four cups) of shucked meat, regardless of the number of harvesters on board.
Starting July 1 through Labor Day, these limits increase to two gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or one pint of shucked meat per person. Vessels are limited to ten gallons of whole bay scallops or half a gallon (four pints) of shucked meat per day. Vessel limits do not permit individuals to exceed their personal bag limits throughout the season.
Harvesting methods are restricted to hand collection or using a landing or dip net, with commercial harvesting prohibited. Information on regulations can be found at MyFWC.com/Marine under “Recreational Regulations” and “Bay Scallops.”
A Florida saltwater fishing license is required for recreational harvesters unless exempted or holding a no-cost shoreline fishing license while wading from shore. Licenses can be purchased at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, by calling toll-free 888-FISH-FLORIDA (888-347-4356), or via the Fish|Hunt FL app.
Safety guidelines emphasize that divers should remain within specified distances from a correctly displayed divers-down flag: within 300 feet in open water and within 100 feet on rivers, inlets, or navigation channels. Boats must operate at idle speed near these flags.
Boaters are reminded that damaging seagrass beds is illegal in certain areas. Seagrasses serve as vital habitats for marine life such as manatees and green sea turtles. More information on seagrass awareness can be found at MyFWC.com/Boating under “Seagrass Awareness.”
Scallopers are advised against discarding shells near recreational areas due to potential hazards they pose to swimmers and seagrass habitats. Instead, shells should be disposed of properly either in trash receptacles or larger bodies of water where they can disperse naturally.
For further details regarding boating safety and other regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Boating.
