Commercial Trap Design and Vessel Marking
Special regulations apply for traps when in Biscayne National Park.
Black Sea Bass
Maximum trap size is 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet or a volume of 8 cubic feet
Mesh size must be 1 1/2 inches or larger
The throat or entrance must not exceed 5 inches by 2 inches at its narrowest point
Must have at least two unobstructed escape rings (rectangular: 1 1/8 inch by 5 3/4 inch; circular: 2 inches in diameter; square: 1 3/4 inches measured inside the square) located on a vertical side of the trap
Atlantic Ocean traps in the water or on board a vessel must have a valid ID tag issued by NOAA Fisheries
The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible "B" and the owners SPL number at least 1 1/2 inches tall
NEW (5/30/2017): Buoy lines attached to sea bass traps must comply with marking, weak link, and breaking strength requirements for adjacent federal waters (please refer to 50 C.F.R. 622.189(g))
Blue Crab
Maximum trap size is 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet or a volume of 8 cubic feet
Mesh size must be 1 1/2 inches or larger
The throat or entrance cannot extend farther than 6 inches into the inside of any trap
Must have at least three escape rings, one of each located on a vertical outer surface adjacent to each chamber
Escape rings must be larger than 2 3/8 inches.
The trap must have a degradable panel larger than 3 inches by 6 inches
Types of degradable panels include: untreated jute twine, non-coated steel wire measuring 24 gauge or thinner, untreated pine dowel no larger than 2 inches in length by 3/8 inch in diameter or untreated pine slats no thicker than 3/8 inch
A blue crab trap tag must be permanently affixed
The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible blue crab endorsement number that is at least 2 inches tall
Pinfish
Maximum trap size is 2 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet or a volume of 8 cubic feet
It is not required but it is recommended that some form of owner contact information is attached to the trap
Throat or entrance should not exceed 3 inches in height by 3/4 inches in width
A buoy is not required but is recommended for preventing loss of the trap
Spiny Lobster
Traps must be constructed of wood or plastic
Plastic traps must have a degradable panel.
Refer to the official rules before building or buying traps.
Wood slat traps must be no larger than 3 feet by 2 feet by 2 feet or a volume of 12 cubic feet
These traps shall be constructed with wood slats that are a minimum of 1 ¼ inches wide with a maximum spacing between slats of 2 ¼ inches
The throat or entrance must be larger than 6 inches by 3 ½ inches and must be located in the top horizontal section of the trap
A spiny lobster trap tag must be permanently affixed
The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible spiny lobster endorsement number that is at least 2 inches tall
Stone Crab
Maximum trap size is 24 inches by 24 inches by 24 inches or a volume of 8 cubic feet.
Traps can be made from either wood, wire or plastic.
The throat or entrance must be no larger than 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches.
If the throat or entrance is round, it cannot exceed 5 inches in diameter.
Throat must be no larger than 5 1/2 by 3 1/8 inches in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade.
Round throats prohibited in Collier, Monroe and Miami-Dade counties.
Plastic traps must have a degradable panel that is 5 ½ inches by 3 ½ inches and is made of cypress or untreated pine slat no thicker than ¾ of an inch.
Wire traps must have at least three unobstructed escape rings (2 3/8 inches in diameter) located on a vertical side of the trap.
NEW: A 2 3/16” escape ring will be required in all plastic and wood stone crab traps by 2023/2024 season. The escape ring must be located in the lower half of the trap and immediately adjacent to the vertical centerline of the trap wall on which it is installed. An escape ring may not be located adjacent to any corner where two vertical trap walls meet.
A stone crab trap tag must be permanently affixed and each trap must also have the stone crab endorsement number permanently attached.
The buoy must be no smaller than 6 inches and must be marked with a legible stone crab endorsement number that is at least 2 inches tall.
Vessel
(applies to commercial stone crab, blue crab and lobster vessels)
Endorsement numbers on side of vessel must be at least 4 inches tall
The buoy color must be displayed on the side of the vessel in an 8 inch in diameter circle outlined in contrasting color
When viewing the vessel from the air, the buoy color must be displayed in a 20 inch diameter circle outlined in contrasting color with the endorsement number affixed beneath in numerals 10 inches tall or larger