Ready to explore for scallops? The 2024 season opens August 16 and ends September 24 for scalloping in St. Joseph Bay. This season opening is from the Mexico Beach Canal in Bay County through the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island in Franklin County. Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are either exempt from needing a license or have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops (i.e. feet do not leave bottom to swim, snorkel, or SCUBA and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location). To learn more about these requirements and updates from FWC please, click here.