The commercial and recreational harvest of stone crab claws in Florida closes May 16 to help protect and sustain Florida's valuable stone crab resource. Stone crab season will reopen Oct. 15.
Stone crab claws may be possessed and sold during the closed season but only if they have been placed in inventory prior to May 16 by a licensed wholesale or retail dealer.
Stone crab traps must be removed from the water within five days after the close of the stone crab season unless a special extension is granted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
