Mini Season

[Scubaguy62]

One very important thing to consider when beach diving for bugs at midnight on Tuesday; parking. In most beaches in So. Fla., it is illegal to park between 11p and 6a, so be ready to make other arrangements.

I've been diving the beaches and the 2nd and 3rd reefs heavily for the last two months, and most of the bugs are on the 3rd reef. although there are several in the 2nd reef. I just did a beach dive tonight scoping out for bugs; there were none.

If the weather does not improve considerably, beach diving for bugs will be difficult.

BTW;

No gear that could puncture the shell of lobster is allowed in your possession, including (but not limited to) spears, hooks, or wire snares.

This statement is not entirely correct. Wire snares are allowed, especially if they are the type that are purchased at dive shops, because they are not only made of a special wire that won't hurt the bugs, they also have a plastic tip around the end of the snare.

This is direct from the FWCC website:

Lobster divers must have a carapace-measuring device with them to ensure a carapace length greater than three inches long. Should the underwater measurement be less than three inches long, the lobster is to be released unharmed. The harvesting of egg bearing females is also prohibited.

It is also illegal to gig or spear lobsters, and lobsters must remain in whole condition until brought ashore.

As you can see, there is no mention against wire snares. Thus, they are allowed.

 

[the gooch]

Debby, I am very interested in doing a midnight dive Tuesday night. I do not know what to do about parking though. We will figure something out.