Gulf County and Pasco Zones Closed to Bay Scallop Harvest in 2026 Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) closed the Gulf County Zone to recreational Bay Scallop harvest for the rest of the 2026 season, joining the Pasco Zone, which has been closed since August 6.

Three people sit around a table after a successful scalloping trip as they open up the shells on a table in front of them
Photo courtesy of BWC Charters

Meanwhile, anglers headed to St. Joseph Bay or the Anclote River area this month should check the current zone map before dropping in a net. Here’s what to know.

Gulf County Zone Closed for the Rest of the Season

FWC closed the Gulf County Zone, which covers all state waters from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County, including St. Joseph Bay. FWC made the decision after its researchers recorded unusually low numbers of Bay Scallops in St. Joseph Bay during surveys this summer.

By suspending harvest, officials hope more of the Scallops still in the Bay will be able to spawn, improving the population’s chances of recovery. FWC also plans to pursue local restoration work while keeping track of abundance in the area. Harvesting is off the table in Gulf County for 2026, but the zone stays open for other recreational activities, including fishing, boating, and swimming.

Pasco Zone Still Closed Due to Algae

The Pasco Zone, which runs from the Hernando-Pasco county line south to the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, has been closed to Scallop harvest since August 6, 2026 after tests detected the toxin-producing algae Pyrodinium bahamense above the safety thresholds set by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. FWC said the zone will reopen once testing shows toxin levels back within safe limits. As in Gulf County, fishing, boating, and swimming remain open there in the meantime.

What’s Still Open This Season

Map shows Bay Scallop seasons along Florida’s Gulf coast, highlighting unique season dates for Gulf, Franklin, Fenholloway-Suwannee, Levy, Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties.
Source: the FWC

Three zones remain open to Bay Scallop harvest:

  • Franklin County through northwestern Taylor County (Carrabelle, Lanark, St. Marks): open July 1 to September 24
  • Fenholloway through Suwannee Rivers Zone (Keaton Beach, Steinhatchee): open June 15 through Labor Day
  • Levy, Citrus, and Hernando Counties (Cedar Key, Crystal River, Homosassa): open July 1 to September 24

In the open zones, the daily bag limit is 2 gallons of whole Scallops in shell (or 1 pint of meat) per person, with a 10-gallon vessel maximum. The Fenholloway-to-Suwannee zone runs a reduced limit of 1 gallon per person from June 15 to 30 before stepping up to the standard limit. There’s no minimum size limit, and harvest is by hand or dip net only. Full regulations are on FWC’s Bay Scallop page.

What Anglers Should Know

Direct transit through the closed Gulf County and Pasco zones with legally harvested Scallops from elsewhere is still allowed, so a closure doesn’t strand a trip that starts or ends nearby. Anyone planning a scalloping day in Port St. Joe this year will need to look elsewhere for the harvest itself, though the area’s other fishing opportunities are unaffected.

In case you’re new to Scallop harvesting, our guides come to the rescue:

Planning a Scalloping trip in Florida this season? Make sure you’re familiar with the latest rules and regulations before you head out.


The concept and outline of this article were created by people engaged by FishingBooker. Artificial intelligence tools were used to flesh out and reformat information into a blog article. Before being published, this article was edited and fact-checked by FishingBooker staff.

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