Florida Lobster Mini-Season Begins; Maine Festival Aims to Raise $20K for Community

Florida’s annual Lobster Mini-Season opened on July 29, allowing recreational divers to collect spiny lobsters for two days before commercial trapping begins. Participants aged 16 to 65 must hold a saltwater fishing license and a spiny lobster stamp, and may harvest up to six lobsters per day in Biscayne National Park (twelve elsewhere). The event prohibits trapping, knives, and spears, and emphasizes safety measures such as designated boat lookouts and reef‑safe sunscreen.

In Maine, the five‑day Rockland Lobster Festival, a nonprofit fundraiser, continues to support the Midcoast community. Over the past decade the festival has contributed more than $230,000 in donations, scholarships, and awards to over 110 local organizations. For 2026 the festival set a goal of $20,000 in community support, with $15,000 earmarked for local charities and $5,000 for scholarships. Festival officials highlighted the event’s broader economic impact, drawing tens of thousands of visitors and generating millions in tourism revenue for the region.