Bay scallop season opens north of Tampa area

With the turn of the calendar this weekend, scallop season opened in a large section of state waters in the Gulf of Mexico north of the Tampa metro area.

On July 1, the bay scallop season is opened from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County in the Panhandle through the Pasco/Hernando county line north of Tampa metro area.

Bag and vessel limits throughout the entire bay scallop harvest zone are 2 gallons whole bay scallops in shell or 1 pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a maximum of 10 gallons of whole bay scallops in shell or  1/2 gallon bay scallop meat per vessel.

Scallops may be collected by hand or with a landing or dip net.

Scallops must be landed within the area that is open to harvest.

There is no commercial harvest allowed for bay scallops in Florida.

There is no scallop season scheduled this year for Gulf of Mexico waters south of the Pasco/Hernando county line.

Holiday warning: With the coast being a natural draw for crowds onland and in the water during the Independence Day holiday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reminding the public to help protect beach-nesting shorebirds and sea turtles by giving them space and keeping personal fireworks off the beach.

While shorebird and sea turtle areas are posted, not all nests are posted.

Shorebirds are nesting now with many watching over flightless chicks. Threatened species, such as the snowy plover, least tern, black skimmer and American oystercatcher, are among the shorebirds facing conservation challenges. Loud noises can cause adults to flush off their nests and tiny chicks to become separated from parents, leaving them vulnerable to predators, the elements and getting stepped on by beachgoers.

July is also a busy time for sea turtle nesting on Florida beaches, and female sea turtles can become disoriented and fail to lay their eggs if disturbed by bright lights, loud noises and people getting too close to them. Sea turtle hatchlings, also vulnerable to disturbance, are beginning to emerge this month.

Beachgoers are urged to stay clear of critical wildlife areas and clear trash and food scraps from the beach.

Red tide: There were no positive tests for the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, statewide during the last full week of June (22-29). That included the two testing stations in Manatee County that had revealed trace amounts the previous week.

Red snapper: In the wake of last month’s decision, recreational fisherman can catch red snapper in state and federal waters through July 4 this week. The extended holiday period was part of a deal in which the recreational red snapper season in federal waters was aligned with the state season.

The season is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 4.

This story was originally published July 1, 2017 at 10:48 PM with the headline "Bay scallop season opens north of Tampa area."