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Fishing regulations at Port Canaveral, FL
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Florida can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Northern red snapper
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
Reef Fish Gear
Allowable gear includes vertical hook-and-line, including hand line and bandit gear, and spearfishing gear without rebreathers. When fishing for or possessing snapper grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic, the following regulations apply: (1) Use of a dehooking tool is required. (2) The use of non-stainless steel hooks is required when using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. In waters North of 28-degrees N. latitude, the use of non-offset, non-stainless steel circle hooks is required when fishing for snapper grouper species using hook-and-line gear with natural baits. (3) A descending device is required on board all vessels and must be readily available for use (attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line). See below for more details.
Descending Device
A descending device is required on board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. The descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line.
The recreational sector for South Atlantic Red Snapper will open for harvest for two days – at 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 11, 2025, through 12:01 a.m., local time, on July 13, 2025. Read the Fishery Bulletin for more information.
A descending device is required on board all vessels fishing for or possessing snapper and grouper species in federal waters of the South Atlantic. The descending device must be readily available for use and attached to at least 16 ounces of weight and at least 60 feet of line. Learn how to help more released fish survive and share what you're seeing on the water by visiting the Best Fishing Practices and SAFMC Release webpages.
Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats:
- If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that fish.
- If a federally permitted vessel fishing in state waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters but open in state waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that species.
- If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in state waters but open to harvest in federal waters, they may retain that fish if they do not stop to fish in state waters when returning to port. All gear must be stowed.
Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats must have the following on board:
- The 2019 version of the NMFS document titled "Careful Release Protocols for Sea Turtle Release with Minimal Injury" (document may be electronic).
- NMFS sea turtle handling and release guidelines placard
- Required release and handling gears
See Snapper Grouper Sea Turtle and Smalltooth Sawfish Release Gear Requirements for more information.
For more information on management of South Atlantic federal fisheries, please visit SAFMC or NOAA Fisheries.
For commercial regulations, download Fish Rules Commercial App for iOS devices or Android devices.
Common dolphinfish
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
The maximum number of individual fish legally possessed aboard any vessel.
Fork Length means the length of a fish as measured from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail.
Effective May 2nd 2022, the recreational vessel limit for dolphin is 54 fish (excluding headboats). The 10 dolphin per person per day recreational bag limit will remain unchanged for all recreational vessels (private, charter vessels, and headboats). See Fishery Bulletin Must be landed with head and fins intact.
Minimum size limit only applies in waters off Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.
If you are bringing fish back to the U.S. from the Bahamas by water, please see Bringing fish back from the Bahamas.
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Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats: -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that fish. -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in state waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters but open in state waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that species. -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in state waters but open to harvest in federal waters, they may retain that fish if they do not stop to fish in state waters when returning to port. All gear must be stowed.
For more information on management of South Atlantic federal fisheries, please visit SAFMC or NOAA Fisheries.
King mackerel
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
No person shall harvest any individual fish less than the minimum size limit.
Fork Length means the length of a fish as measured from the most forward point of the head to the rear center edge of the tail.
Allowed to keep cut-off (damaged) Atlantic king mackerel caught under the recreational bag limit and complies with the minimum size limits.
A person who is on a trip that spans more than 24 hours may possess no more than two daily bag limits, provided: such trip is aboard a vessel operating as a charter vessel or headboat; the vessel has two licensed operators aboard; and each passenger is issued and has in possession a receipt issued on behalf of the vessel that verifies the length of the trip.
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Federally Permitted Charter/Headboats: -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that fish. -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in state waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in federal waters but open in state waters, the vessel is not allowed to retain that species. -If a federally permitted vessel fishing in federal waters catches a species that is closed to harvest in state waters but open to harvest in federal waters, they may retain that fish if they do not stop to fish in state waters when returning to port. All gear must be stowed.
For more information on management of South Atlantic federal fisheries, please visit SAFMC or NOAA Fisheries.
To see commercial regulations, download Fish Rules Commercial App for iOS devices or Android devices.
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