Carrabelle & St. Marks

Status for 2027: not announced. Unless FWC changes it, the standard season of July 1 through September 24 applies.

Standard season: July 1 through September 24

Daily limit: 2 gallons in the shell or 1 pint of meat per person; 10 gallons or 1/2 gallon of meat per boat

Where It Is

State waters from the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County east to Rock Island, near the mouth of the Fenholloway River in Taylor County.

That covers the Franklin County coast, Wakulla County, the short Jefferson County shoreline, and the northwest corner of Taylor County. In the rules, this stretch isn't a separately named zone. It simply follows Florida's default bay scallop season.

What Makes It Different

• It's the closest scalloping to Tallahassee. St. Marks and Shell Point are a short drive from the capital.
• Long season. July 1 through September 24, matching Levy, Citrus & Hernando.
• Not one of the big three grounds. The main fishing grounds are St. Joseph Bay, the Dixie-Taylor area and Citrus County. This stretch isn't one of them, so ask locally about how the beds look before you plan around it.

Towns & Ramps

Scallop towns here include Carrabelle, Lanark and St. Marks. Other launch areas include Apalachicola, Alligator Point, Panacea and Shell Point.

Public ramps in Wakulla County include:

• Mash Island Park (Mashes Sands, near Panacea)
• Rock Landing (Panacea)
• Shell Point
• St. Marks River Park
• St. Marks Lighthouse, inside St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

Access and fees change, so confirm before you go.

Typical Conditions

• Broad, shallow grass flats along a marshy coast. Run carefully and watch the tide.
• Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common. Go early.
• Clarity varies with rain and river flow. If you can't see the bottom, move.

How the 2026 Season Went

It ran the full season, July 1 through September 24, 2026.

When FWC closed the Gulf County Zone on August 13, 2026, it confirmed that state waters of Franklin County east of St. Vincent Island through Hernando County remained open. No closure order affected this area all season.

One thing to know for boaters coming from the west: in 2026 the Gulf County Zone order barred possessing scallops in or on Gulf County Zone waters, not just harvesting them.

What to Expect in 2027

2027 dates haven't been announced. The standard dates are July 1 through September 24. FWC can still change or close a season, as it did in two other zones in 2026. We'll update this page as soon as FWC announces dates.