Ocean surgeonfishin Florida (Atlantic)
Acanthurus tractus
Also called Surgeonfish.
The rule in Florida (Atlantic)
Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for ocean surgeonfish 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean surgeonfishThis page. | 9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
| Doctorfish10–12 faint vertical bars.Tell them apart | 9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
| Blue tangSolid blue.Tell them apart | 9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-round |
How to tell it
Gray-blue to brown oval with a blue-edged tail and a pale band at the tail base; sharp spine on the caudal peduncle. More on the ocean surgeonfish page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Ocean surgeonfish in other states
In the app
Point the camera at an ocean surgeonfish in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appOcean surgeonfish in Florida (Atlantic): the questions
What is the size limit for ocean surgeonfish in Florida (Atlantic)?
9" FL max (tangs and surgeonfish). Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many ocean surgeonfish can you keep in Florida (Atlantic)?
5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
When is ocean surgeonfish season in Florida (Atlantic)?
Year-round.
How current is this Florida (Atlantic) ocean surgeonfish 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.