On July 15, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) began accepting applications for the Apalachicola Bay Recreational Opportunity (ABRO) Permit for the October 2026 wild oyster harvest season.
There will be 127 permits available, distributed through random lottery to qualified applicants. When applying, applicants will be able to rank their preferred harvest reefs. Applicants must be a Florida resident and unless they are exempt, have a recreational saltwater fishing license.
Applicants selected in the lottery to receive the ABRO Permit will be given one harvest bag tag for a specific reef. The upcoming season will occur from Oct. 1, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027.
Interested participants can apply anytime during the application period from July 15 – July 31. To apply, visit GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
For current recreational oyster regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click "Saltwater Recreational Regulations."