Nurse sharkin Florida (Gulf)
Ginglymostoma cirratum
The rule in Florida (Gulf)
Florida (Gulf)’s own rule for nurse shark in state waters, out to 9 nautical miles.
Counts toward an aggregate limit: Shark daily limit (all species combined).
Measured as fork length (FL): snout to the fork of the tail.
FWC 2026· checked Open
How to tell it
Barbels, tiny mouth, rounded fins; naps under ledges. More on the nurse shark page: every state’s rule, the records, and how anglers catch it.
Nurse shark in other states
In the app
Point the camera at a nurse shark in Florida (Gulf) and this rule is on the screen before you take the picture. No signal needed.
Get the appNurse shark in Florida (Gulf): the questions
What is the size limit for nurse shark in Florida (Gulf)?
54 in fork length min. Measured as fork length: snout to the fork of the tail.
How many nurse shark can you keep in Florida (Gulf)?
1 shark per person per day; max 2 per vessel. It counts toward an aggregate: Shark daily limit (all species combined).
When is nurse shark season in Florida (Gulf)?
Open year-round.
How current is this Florida (Gulf) nurse shark 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.