At its February meeting in Gainesville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) set the 2019-only bay scallop season for Gulf County to be Aug. 16 through Sept. 15.

Other 2019 bay scallop seasons were set earlier this year for all open areas except Gulf County. View season dates, regulations and more at MyFWC.com/Marine by clicking on “Recreational Regulations” and “Bay Scallops” which is under the “Crabs, Shrimp and Shellfish” tab.

The Commission also moved forward with the following proposed changes for 2020 and beyond that will be brought back before the Commission at its May meeting for a final public hearing:

• Setting the bay scallop season in state waters from Franklin through northwestern Taylor County and Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties to be July 1 through Sept. 24 each year.
• Setting the bay scallop season in state waters for Pasco County to start the third Friday in July and run 10 days each year.
• Setting the bay scallop season in state waters for Dixie County and the remaining portion of Taylor County to start June 15 and run through Sept. 10 each year.
  • This proposal will include a reduced bag limit from the start of the season through June 30; with the regular bag limit beginning July 1.
• Setting the bay scallop season for Gulf County to be July 1 through Sept. 24 for 2020 and beyond unless modified by Executive Order.
• Allow the direct transit of legally harvested bay scallops across areas that are closed to harvest.

FWC will further discuss the draft proposal for Dixie and parts of Taylor County at a public input gathering workshop in Steinhatchee Tuesday, March 5. Learn more at MyFWC.com/SaltwaterComments by clicking on “Workshops.”