Scalloping From Clearwater Beach: The Nearest Open Zones and How to Plan for 2027

Can you go scalloping in Clearwater or Pinellas County?

No. Chapter 68B-18 of the Florida Administrative Code defines a single open area for bay scallops. It runs from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County down the Big Bend and stops at a line due east and west of the Anclote Key Lighthouse (28°10.020' N). Every other Florida water is closed year-round.

That line sits inside Pinellas County, about 0.37 miles south of the Pasco-Pinellas line, and the open area also takes in all of the Anclote River and its tributaries through Tarpon Springs. Everything south of it is closed, including Honeymoon Island, Caladesi, Clearwater Harbor and the beaches. For other live shellfish rules, see what you can and can't take from Clearwater Beach. By our calculation the line is about 13 miles due north of Pier 60.

You also can't have scallops on closed waters. The one exception: scallops taken legally in an open zone may ride aboard a boat through closed water if it's going straight back to where it's normally docked.

Which scallop zones are open, and what are the limits in each?

Each zone has its own season, and one has its own limits. Here's how 2026 actually played out, from FWC's bay scallop page and executive orders as of October 2026. Every 2026 season has now ended.

In every open zone there's no minimum size and commercial harvest is banned. The vessel limit never lets anyone exceed their own bag limit, so two people on a boat can keep 4 gallons whole, not 10. If you hold both whole scallops and meat, each pint of meat counts as 2 gallons whole.

How far is each zone from Pier 60?

We picked government-owned public ramps from FWC's boat ramp inventory near the towns FWC names, and routed a drive to each from Pier 60.

These are no-traffic estimates. U.S. 19 traffic and towing a boat will add time. FWC's inventory listed every ramp as open when we pulled it, but fees, hours and storm repairs change, so check with the ramp's county or city before you tow.

Why do some zones close in the middle of the season?

Mostly algae. FWC gave the same reason for Pasco three years running: Pyrodinium bahamense, which makes saxitoxins, above National Shellfish Sanitation Program safety thresholds. St. Joseph Bay lost the back half of its 2025 season to toxin-producing algae and all of 2026 to a scallop shortage.

Pasco's 2024 and 2025 reopenings ran into September, past the scheduled end, so those years totaled 42 and 43 open days against 40 scheduled. That's no help if you booked for late July. Pasco is the closest zone and the least predictable.

For Gulf County, Executive Order 26-28 blames a red tide from October through December 2025, during spawning and larval settlement. FWC's season page cites a summer 2026 survey that found very low scallop numbers in St. Joseph Bay.

The swings are biology too. FWC's research institute says Florida bay scallops live only 12 to 18 months, track seagrass health, and can go from scarce to plentiful, or back, in a season or two. FWC has dropped its pre-season abundance survey because the counts couldn't predict such a short-lived species, so don't expect a published forecast.

When is scallop season in 2027?

Not confirmed. As of October 4, 2026, FWC hadn't posted any 2027 dates. If the commission doesn't change the rule or issue new orders, the dates in F.A.C. 68B-18.005 would apply:

Treat these as a starting point, not a promise. In each of the last three summers, FWC changed at least one zone's season by executive order once the season was already underway. For a Clearwater-based trip, aim for the Levy, Citrus and Hernando zone in July or early August. The whole window falls in summer storm season, so read our Clearwater Beach in summer guide for heat and afternoon-lightning timing. Check FWC's bay scallop page before you book anything.

Do you need a fishing license to go scalloping?

Usually. FWC requires a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless you're exempt. As of October 2026, FWC lists these prices, and license vendors may add a 50-cent fee:

• Non-residents: $17 for 3 days, $30 for 7 days, $47 for a year.
• Florida residents: $17 for a year.
• No license needed: anyone under 16, Florida residents 65 and over with proof of age and residency, and anyone harvesting from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter or party boat) that has a valid charter license.

Florida residents get a free shoreline license, but it covers scalloping only when you wade from shore. FWC says your feet can't leave the bottom (no swimming, snorkeling or scuba), and you can't use a boat to reach the spot or get back. Since most scalloping means snorkeling over grass beds, most adults need the full license. Our Florida saltwater fishing license guide covers how to buy one and the other exemptions.

What gear do you need, and what rules apply in the water?

Bay scallops sit in shallow seagrass, and you pick them up while snorkeling. Under F.A.C. 68B-18.006 you may use only your hands or a landing or dip net, and you can't keep scallops aboard a boat carrying a trawl, dredge or any other net. Bring a mask, snorkel, fins, a mesh bag and a measured container for checking gallons. If you wade the grass flats, use the stingray shuffle as you walk.

The divers-down flag is the law. Section 327.331 of the Florida Statutes counts anyone in the water with a mask and snorkel as a diver, and requires:

• Divers must display a divers-down warning device where they're diving, unless the area is customarily used for swimming only.
• The divers-down symbol must be at least 20 by 24 inches when shown from a boat, and at least 12 by 12 inches on a flag or buoy in the water. On a boat, it goes on the highest point or anywhere nothing blocks it from any direction.
• Divers must make a reasonable effort to stay within 300 feet of the device in open water, or 100 feet in a river, inlet or navigation channel.
• Other boats must try to keep 300 feet away (100 feet in rivers, inlets and channels). Inside that distance they may go only as fast as they need to keep headway and steer.
• The flag comes down once everyone is aboard or ashore.

Our scuba guide covers the same dive flag and spearfishing rules for Gulf divers in more detail.

FWC asks scallopers not to dump shells in busy inshore waters like the Homosassa River or Crystal River, where piles hurt swimmers and seagrass. Use a trash can or larger open water. New to snorkeling? Practice first with our snorkeling at Clearwater Beach guide.

Should you book a charter or go on your own?

For most visitors, a charter out of Homosassa or Crystal River is the easier choice. FWC exempts guests on a for-hire vessel with a valid charter license, which saves a non-resident $17 to $30 each (ask the captain to confirm the license). A local captain should also know which grass beds are holding scallops this year, which matters more now that FWC no longer publishes a pre-season count. And you skip towing a boat 70-plus miles up U.S. 19.

Going on your own makes sense if you have a boat and know the area. Our guide to Clearwater-area boat ramps covers launches and trailer fees closer to the beach. If you rent, check Florida's boater education rules first; our pontoon rental guide explains the boater ID requirement. We don't list charter prices because we couldn't confirm them from primary sources, so get quotes directly and ask whether cleaning is included.

The same coast draws manatee watchers in winter (see our manatees near Clearwater guide), and our day trips from Clearwater Beach covers other drives.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a scallop season in Pinellas County?

Not for most of it. Harvest is closed year-round south of the Anclote Key Lighthouse line (28°10.020' N), which covers Clearwater, Dunedin and Honeymoon Island. Only a strip at the county's northern tip and the Anclote River fall in the Pasco Zone, set for July 10 to Aug. 18 but shut mid-season for toxic algae in 2024, 2025 and 2026.

What is the closest place to go scalloping from Clearwater Beach?

The Pasco Zone: Anclote River Park in Holiday is about 45 minutes from Pier 60 without traffic, but the zone has closed for toxic algae three summers running. The more reliable Levy, Citrus and Hernando zone starts about 1 hour 25 minutes away at Hernando Beach; Homosassa and Crystal River are roughly 2 hours.

When does scallop season start in 2027?

FWC hadn't announced 2027 dates as of October 4, 2026. Under the current rule, Levy, Citrus and Hernando would run July 1 to Sept. 24 and Pasco July 10 to Aug. 18. FWC can change any zone by executive order, so check before you book.

How many scallops can you keep?

Usually 2 gallons whole or 1 pint of meat per person a day, capped at 10 gallons whole or half a gallon of meat per boat. In Fenholloway-Suwannee from June 15 to 30 it's 1 gallon whole or 1 cup of meat per person and 5 gallons or 2 pints per boat. There's no minimum size.

Are Crystal River and Homosassa in the same scallop zone?

Yes. Levy, Citrus and Hernando counties are one zone, from Alligator Pass Daybeacon #4 near the Suwannee River's mouth to the Hernando-Pasco line, with the same dates and limits throughout.

Can you scallop without a boat?

Yes, by wading from shore in an open zone. Florida residents with the free shoreline license are covered only while their feet stay on the bottom and no boat is used. Snorkelers and non-residents need a regular saltwater license unless exempt.