Bay scallop season opens Thursday in Fenholloway, Suwannee River

The 2023 recreational bay scallop season in the Fenholloway River through the Suwannee River zone opens June 15 and will remain open through Labor Day (Sept. 4).

The zone includes all state waters in Dixie County, a portion of Taylor County, the towns of Keaton Beach and Steinhatchee and a small portion of Levy County.

The daily bag limit through June is 1 gallon of whole bay scallops in-shell or 1 cup of shucked bay scallop meat, per person. The maximum per vessel is 5 gallons whole or two pints (4 cups) of shucked meat.

For the remainder of the season in that zone, and for the duration of the season in other zones, limits are two gallons of whole bay scallops in-shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat, per person. Per vessel limits are 10 gallons of whole scallops in-shell or a half-gallon (4 pints) of shucked meat.

Vessel limits do not allow individuals to exceed their personal bag limit.

Other bay scallop dates include:

St. Joseph Bay/Gulf County: Aug. 16-Sept. 24 in all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County.

Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County: July 1-Sept. 25 in all state waters from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County to the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County, Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks.

Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties: July 1-Sept. 24 in all state waters from the mouth of the Suwannee River in Levy County to the Hernando-Pasco county line, Cedar Key, Crystal River and Homosassa.

Pasco County: July 1-Aug. 6 in all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse, including all waters of the Anclote River.

In all zones, scallops may be collected by hand or with a landing or dip net. Commercial harvesting is not allowed for bay scallops in Florida.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission cautions safety to boaters and scallopers. The agency notes all boaters and passengers should wear a life jacket and that boat operators should not consume alcoholic beverages.

When scalloping in open water, divers should stay within 300 feet of a properly displayed divers-down flag or device. That distance should be reduced to 100 feet on rivers, inlets or navigation channels. Boat operators traveling within 300 feet of a divers-down flag or device in open water or within 100 feet of one on a river, inlet or navigational channel must slow to idle speed.

FWC also asks scallopers not to dispose of scallop shells in waters used for recreational activities, such as those near boat ramps or swimming areas. Instead, the agency asks that scallop shells be thrown in trash cans or in larger bodies of water where they disperse more easily. Piles of discarded shells pose hazards to swimmers and can damage seagrass habitat.