Bay scallop harvest in Florida's Pasco Zone reopens during Sept. 6 - 21, 2025
Reopening of Pasco Zone for 2025 regional bay scallop season
Florida - On September 6, 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that the recreational harvest of bay scallops will reopen in the Pasco Zone (see map below) on September 6, 2025, following a temporary closure, and will remain open through September 21, 2025. This area includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, encompassing the Anclote River.
The FWC continues to monitor scallop and water samples to keep Floridians safe. Continuous testing during the temporary closure showed that the toxin (saxitoxin) that the algae (Pyrodinium bahamense) produce has returned to safe levels based on the safety thresholds established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. Out of an abundance of caution, after the reopening, it is recommended that you only consume the scallop muscle and not the roe or whole scallop.
The FWC is excited to give Floridians the opportunity to scallop within the Pasco Zone. If you don’t have a saltwater recreational fishing license, you can secure one by visiting GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
For more information, bag limits, and updates, visit MyFWC.com/Scallops. Additional details on Pyrodinium can be found in the FWC Pyrodinium bahamense factsheet.
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Florida - On September 6, 2025, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced that the recreational harvest of bay scallops will reopen in the Pasco Zone (see map below) on September 6, 2025, following a temporary closure, and will remain open through September 21, 2025. This area includes all state waters south of the Hernando-Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, encompassing the Anclote River.
The FWC continues to monitor scallop and water samples to keep Floridians safe. Continuous testing during the temporary closure showed that the toxin (saxitoxin) that the algae (Pyrodinium bahamense) produce has returned to safe levels based on the safety thresholds established by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. Out of an abundance of caution, after the reopening, it is recommended that you only consume the scallop muscle and not the roe or whole scallop.
The FWC is excited to give Floridians the opportunity to scallop within the Pasco Zone. If you don’t have a saltwater recreational fishing license, you can secure one by visiting GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
For more information, bag limits, and updates, visit MyFWC.com/Scallops. Additional details on Pyrodinium can be found in the FWC Pyrodinium bahamense factsheet.
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