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Florida's Spiny Lobster Season Starts Soon

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Thousands of Florida residents and visitors are expected for this year’s recreational Spiny Lobster Season. The two-day sport season opens Wednesday and Thursday.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Spokeswoman Amanda Nalley says as many as 30,000 people are expected to flock to the South Florida region—the main area for recreational Spiny Lobster Season.

“There’s a lot of interest in the two-day season. First, of all it’s recreational only. So, a lot of your recreational anglers like to take that opportunity to get out on the water before the commercial season starts. It’s something that you have a huge draw in that area,” said Nalley.

Night diving is not allowed during the recreational season. Recreational usually means for your own personal use, while commercial fisherman must have a license to sell their catch to dealers, who then sell the lobsters off to restaurants.

Commercial fishermen may begin putting their traps in the water August 1st. The regular season begins August 6th and runs through March 31st of next year. Invasive Lionfish may also be found in the area, and FWC encourages harvesters to remove as many as they can.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.