Doctorfishin Florida (Atlantic)
Acanthurus chirurgus
Also called Doctor fish.
The rule in Florida (Atlantic)
Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for doctorfish in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
Marine Life rule: hand-held nets, drop nets, barrier nets, and slurp guns only; 2-day possession limit of 40 (10 per species).
Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.
FWC 2026· checked · likelyOpen
Often mistaken for, and their Florida (Atlantic) rules
Keep the wrong fish and the rule that applies is the other one’s.
| Fish | Size | Bag | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoctorfishThis page. | 9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
| Ocean surgeonfishNo bars.Tell them apart | 9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
How to tell it
Brownish-gray surgeonfish with 10–12 faint vertical bars on the sides and a tail spine. More on the doctorfish page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Doctorfish in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a doctorfish in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appDoctorfish in Florida (Atlantic): the questions
What is the size limit for doctorfish in Florida (Atlantic)?
9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish). Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many doctorfish can you keep in Florida (Atlantic)?
5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
When is doctorfish season in Florida (Atlantic)?
Year-round.
How current is this Florida (Atlantic) doctorfish rule?
Source: FWC 2026, last checked Sep 20, 2026. A watchman re-reads the agency's pages nightly. Rules change mid-season by proclamation; the official rulebook is the final word.