Permit vs. pompano: identification and limits

As of / last verified: October 14, 2026 against official sources · Source: FWC: Permit, Florida pompano and African pompano regulations

Quick answer

Fastest ID: Dorsal starts ahead of anal fin = pompano; dorsal starts over anal fin = permit
Pompano limit: 11" fork length min, 6/day, year-round
Permit limit: Outside SPZ: 11–22" FL slot (1 over 22"), 2/day. SPZ: 22" min, 1/day, closed Apr 1–Jul 31
Permits: Saltwater license unless exempt

Florida pompano: side view for identification — Florida pompano. Illustration: H. L. Todd, U.S. Fish Commission. Credit: NOAA. Public domain

Permit: side view for identification — Permit. Credit: NOAA Fisheries (SEFSC Pascagoula Laboratory, Brandi Noble collection). Public domain

Measure in a straight line with the fish on its side; don't follow its curve. Pompano and permit use FORK length. Source: FWC Fish Measurement. Original graphic.

Side-by-side

Feature	Florida pompano	Permit
Dorsal fin start	Ahead of the anal fin	Directly over the anal fin
Dorsal fin shape	Short, upright	Long, swept back
Anal fin	Short	Long, swept back
Forehead	Slopes back gently	Rises steeply into a hump, then slopes back
Tail	More upright, wide fork	Swept back, narrow fork
Color	Silver with darker back; yellow on belly common	Orange-yellow belly; juveniles may show orange on belly/pelvic/anal fins
Other mark	n/a	May have a black spot behind the pectoral fin
Max size (FWC)	~25 in, 8 lb	~45 in, 50 lb
Size limit	11" FL minimum	Outside SPZ: 11–22" FL slot; SPZ: 22" FL minimum
Bag	6 per harvester	Outside SPZ: 2 (1 may exceed 22"); SPZ: 1 (2/vessel)
Season	Year-round	Outside SPZ: year-round; SPZ: closed Apr 1–Jul 31
Gear	Hook and line, cast net, beach/haul seine	State waters: hook and line only

FL = fork length. The Special Permit Zone covers waters south of 25°40′N (Cape Florida) on the Atlantic, Biscayne Bay south of Rickenbacker Causeway, and south of 25°09′N off Cape Sable.

Diagram: where the fins start

Simplified original diagram, not to scale. Blue = dorsal fin, brown = anal fin.

Don't get ticketed: checklist

Check the dorsal-to-anal fin position before you keep a fish. Small permit often get kept by mistake as pompano.
Measure fork length (snout to the fork of the tail), not total length.
In the Keys/South Florida (SPZ), no permit harvest April 1–July 31.
No multiple hooks with natural bait; no snatching.

Permit steps

Have a saltwater license (unless exempt).
No extra permit or tag is needed for pompano or permit.

Frequently asked questions

How do you tell a permit from a pompano?

Look at where the dorsal fin starts and at the shape of the fins. On a Florida pompano, the dorsal fin begins ahead of the anal fin, and the anal fin is short. On a permit, the dorsal fin begins over the anal fin, and the anal fin is long and swept back. Permit also have a forehead that rises to a hump, a narrower tail fork, and sometimes a black spot behind the pectoral fin.

What is the size limit for Florida pompano?

11 inches fork length minimum, 6 per harvester per day, open year-round.

What are the permit limits outside the Special Permit Zone?

A slot of 11 to 22 inches fork length, with one fish over 22 inches allowed in the bag. The bag is 2 per harvester, with no more than 2 over 22 inches per vessel. Open year-round.

What are the permit rules in the Special Permit Zone (Keys/South Florida)?

22 inches fork length minimum, 1 per harvester, 2 per vessel, closed April 1 to July 31.

How big do permit and pompano get?

FWC lists Florida pompano up to about 25 inches and 8 pounds, and permit up to about 45 inches and 50 pounds.

Official sources

Last verified: October 14, 2026.

Related guides

Disclaimer: This page is a plain-English summary for general information. It is not legal advice. Rules, seasons and boundaries can change at short notice, including by emergency order. Always check the current regulations on MyFWC.com before you fish.