Hotel occupancies and room rates have been sky high in the Florida Keys all spring and summer. Now the island chain is bracing for what is usually the busiest time of summer: the two-day lobster mini season. This year that's Wednesday and Thursday, July 28 and 29.
Thousands of people come to the Keys for a chance to grab some spiny lobster before the regular season opens Aug. 6.
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But the Keys have some special rules, like no night diving and a smaller bag limit. And many who live here worry about the environmental impacts of so many people hunting lobster, all at once.
To help spread the word about the rules and how to dive safely, the Keys tourism agency has created a new website, keyslobsterseason.com.
It's got all the information about when, where and how you can catch lobster during the mini season, including information about where lobster-hunting is banned during mini season on residential shorelines — including canals — in different parts of the Keys.
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