Bay Scallop Regulations in Florida (2026)

Where

St. Joseph Bay and Gulf County

Size limit

Minimum Size Limit: None

Bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: Gulf through NW Taylor County and Levy through Pasco County: Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints); Fenholloway through Suwannee River Zone: June 15-30: Per person: 1 gallon whole bay scallops in shell or one cup shucked; Per vessel: 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked; July 1-Labor Day; Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints)

Season

St. Joseph Bay and Gulf County: CLOSED The 2026 bay scallop season in this region is closed to harvest. A summer 2026 survey by FWC’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Joseph Bay showed very low bay scallop abundance. This precautionary closure is intended to increase the chances that existing scallops can produce offspring to preserve and support future scallop seasons in the region. FWC will work with the community to identify and implement restoration efforts and will continue to monitor the situation. The area is still open for other recreational activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. For more information, see Executive Order 26-28. This region includes all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County.

• Legal Gear: Harvest permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net
• Commercial harvest prohibited.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. exempt from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).
• Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones:
• Direct transit of legally-harvested bay scallops is allowed through closed areas.
• Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa River or Crystal River. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Official source

Where

Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County

Size limit

Minimum Size Limit: None

Bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: Gulf through NW Taylor County and Levy through Pasco County: Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints); Fenholloway through Suwannee River Zone: June 15-30: Per person: 1 gallon whole bay scallops in shell or one cup shucked; Per vessel: 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked; July 1-Labor Day; Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints)

Season

Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County (including Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks): July 1 through Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County to Rock Island near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County.

• Legal Gear: Harvest permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net
• Commercial harvest prohibited.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. exempt from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).
• Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones:
• Direct transit of legally-harvested bay scallops is allowed through closed areas.
• Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa River or Crystal River. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Official source

Where

Fenholloway through Suwannee Rivers Zone

Size limit

Minimum Size Limit: None

Bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: Gulf through NW Taylor County and Levy through Pasco County: Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints); Fenholloway through Suwannee River Zone: June 15-30: Per person: 1 gallon whole bay scallops in shell or one cup shucked; Per vessel: 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked; July 1-Labor Day; Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints)

Season

Fenholloway through Suwannee Rivers Zone (including Keaton Beach and the Steinhatchee area): June 15 through Labor Day. This region includes all state waters east of Rock Island near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County and north of Alligator Pass daybeacon #4 near the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County. This area has a lowered bag limit June 15-30. See bag limit section for more.

• Legal Gear: Harvest permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net
• Commercial harvest prohibited.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. exempt from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).
• Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones:
• Direct transit of legally-harvested bay scallops is allowed through closed areas.
• Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa River or Crystal River. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Official source

Where

Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties

Size limit

Minimum Size Limit: None

Bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: Gulf through NW Taylor County and Levy through Pasco County: Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints); Fenholloway through Suwannee River Zone: June 15-30: Per person: 1 gallon whole bay scallops in shell or one cup shucked; Per vessel: 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked; July 1-Labor Day; Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints)

Season

Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties (including Cedar Key, Crystal River and Homosassa): July 1 through Sept. 24. This region includes all state waters south of Alligator Pass daybeacon #4 near the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County and north of the Hernando – Pasco county line.

• Legal Gear: Harvest permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net
• Commercial harvest prohibited.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. exempt from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).
• Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones:
• Direct transit of legally-harvested bay scallops is allowed through closed areas.
• Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa River or Crystal River. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Official source

Where

Pasco Zone

Size limit

Minimum Size Limit: None

Bag limit

Daily Bag Limit: Gulf through NW Taylor County and Levy through Pasco County: Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints); Fenholloway through Suwannee River Zone: June 15-30: Per person: 1 gallon whole bay scallops in shell or one cup shucked; Per vessel: 5 gallons whole or two pints shucked; July 1-Labor Day; Per person: 2 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat; Per vessel: Maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell, or 1/2 gallon bay scallop meat (1/2 gallon = 4 pints)

Season

Pasco Zone: Closed effective August 6, 2026. The bay scallop season in this region is closed to harvest due to the detection of toxin-producing algae Pyrodinium bahamense at levels exceeding the safety thresholds established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. The Pasco Zone will reopen for scallop harvest once tests show levels have decreased to safe limits. The area is still open for other recreational activities like fishing, boating, and swimming. For more information, see Executive Order 26-27. For more information on Pyrodinium, see the FWC factsheet.

• Legal Gear: Harvest permitted only by hand or by using a landing or dip net
• Commercial harvest prohibited.
• Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. exempt from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location).
• Bay scallops may only be harvested in state waters from the following zones:
• Direct transit of legally-harvested bay scallops is allowed through closed areas.
• Please do not discard scallop shells in inshore waters commonly used for recreational activities such as the Homosassa River or Crystal River. Piles of discarded scallop shells can create hazards for swimmers and damage seagrass habitat. Scallop shells can be discarded in a trash receptacle or in larger bodies of water where they are more likely to disperse.

Official source