Prohibited Areas

State waters encompass all saltwaters surrounding the Florida Keys out to three nautical miles from the nearest point of land, including islands on the Atlantic side, and out to nine nautical miles from the nearest point of land including islands on the Gulf side. Consult National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration nautical charts. Information and chart distributors can be found at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Nautical Chart website.

Locations

Spearfishing is prohibited in the following areas of Monroe County: 

• Dry Tortugas National Park
• Everglades National Park
• State waters from Long Key north to the Miami-Dade County line (including the island of Long Key)

State Parks

The following state parks are within state waters in the Upper Keys. Spearfishing is prohibited in:

• Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
• John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
• Lignumvitae Key Submerged Land Management Area
• Long Key State Park
• Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

The following state parks boundaries extend out to 400 feet from the shoreline where spearfishing and the possession of spearfishing equipment is prohibited:

• Bahia Honda State Park
• Curry Hammock State Park
• Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Situational Areas

• It is unlawful for any person to use, fire, or discharge any spear gun on or below the surface of the water in any manmade canal in the unincorporated areas of Monroe County or the city of Marathon.
• Spearfishing is prohibited within 100 feet of the unsubmerged portion of any jetty, except that spearfishing shall be allowed along the last 500 yards of any jetty that extends more than 1,500 yards from the shoreline. 
• Spearfishing is prohibited within 100 yards of a public swimming beach, any commercial or public fishing pier or any part of a bridge from which public fishing is allowed.