MONROE COUNTY, Fla. – The opening day of the 2026 lobster mini season in Monroe County ran smoothly on Wednesday with overall high compliance, though deputies were called to assist an injured sea turtle in the Lower Keys, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s Office figures covering all four districts from Key Largo to Key West showed zero physical arrests on Day 1. Deputies conducted approximately 357 resource checks on the water and issued about 17 mandatory notice-to-appear court citations.
Law enforcement officials described the activity levels, vessel stops, and citation numbers as typical compared to recent years.
The single notable incident reported during the opening day involved a sea turtle struck by a boat propeller near the Shark Key boat ramp. Lower Keys deputies found the turtle alive at the scene, and staff from the Turtle Hospital in Marathon responded to assist with the rescue.
The figures released by the Sheriff’s Office reflect only county-level enforcement.
They do not include additional patrol data or citations from partner agencies operating in the area, such as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Highway Patrol, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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