Smooth pufferin Florida (Atlantic)
Lagocephalus laevigatus
Also called Rabbitfish, Blowfish.
The rule in Florida (Atlantic)
Florida (Atlantic)’s own rule for smooth puffer in state waters, out to 3 nautical miles.
Florida prohibits puffer harvest in certain east-coast counties (FWC's Puffer Fish Prohibition); puffers carry saxitoxin and are not a food fish. Check FWC before keeping one.
FWC 2026· checked · likelyCheck
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth pufferThis page. | No size limit | See note | Year-round |
| Checkered pufferSmall, patterned.Tell them apart | No size limit | See note | Year-round |
How to tell it
Large silvery puffer, to 2 ft, with a smooth back and a forked tail; offshore and inshore. More on the smooth puffer page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Smooth puffer in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a smooth puffer in Florida (Atlantic) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appSmooth puffer in Florida (Atlantic): the questions
What is the size limit for smooth puffer in Florida (Atlantic)?
No size limit.
How many smooth puffer can you keep in Florida (Atlantic)?
See note.
When is smooth puffer season in Florida (Atlantic)?
Year-round.
How current is this Florida (Atlantic) smooth puffer 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.