Md. Code Regs. 08.02.03.01

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 24, December 2, 2024

Section 08.02.03.01 - Crabbing Gear

A. Lawful Gear.

(1) A person may catch crabs in the tidal waters of Maryland only with the gear authorized in this chapter.

(2) Diving Apparatus. A person may not possess or catch crabs in the tidal waters of Maryland using diving apparatus by itself, or in conjunction with any of the other methods authorized in this chapter.

(3) Gear designated to catch crabs and defined in this chapter, except for a seine, is not considered a net under the definition listed in COMAR 08.02.05.02A.

B. Recreational Gear-Definitions.

(1) The gear defined in this section may be used to catch crabs for recreational purposes.

(2) "Bushel" means a:

(a) Circular container with the following inside dimensions:

(i) 18 inches top diameter;

(ii) 13-1/2 inches bottom diameter; and

(iii) 12 inches height; or

(b) Rectangular container with the following inside dimensions:

(i) 11 inches height;

(ii) 19-1/2 inches length; and

(iii) 12-1/2 inches width.

(3) "Collapsible crab trap" means a manually operated, portable device:

(a) Having a flat bottom not more than 20 inches by 15 inches, and not more than four articulated sides; and

(b) Designed so that failure to apply manually exerted tension on the closing mechanism allows the crabs to escape.

(4) "Crab net ring" means a manually operated, portable device that:

(a) Consists of:

(i) Two rings, each of a different diameter, connected by netting, where the larger of the two rings shall be less than or equal to 30 inches in diameter; or

(ii) One ring that shall be less than or equal to 30 inches in diameter, connected to netting;

(b) When baited and lowered to the bottom, lies flat on the bottom; and

(c) When pulled to the surface, forms a deep pocket out of the netting.

(5) "Crab pot" means a cube-shaped or rectangular shaped device with openings toward the inside for the entrance of crabs.

(6) "Dip net" means a mesh bag of netting or wire which is suspended from a circular, oval, or a rectangular frame attached to a handle.

(7) "Handline" means an unbuoyed fishing line managed primarily by hand.

(8) "Trotline" means a length of rope or line, buoyed at both ends with one or more anchors, which is baited without hooks or snares at intervals for the purpose of catching crabs.

(9) "Seine" means an encircling type of net which is not more than 50 feet long and 5 feet wide.

C. Commercial Gear.

(1) In addition to the gear listed in §B(2)-(8) of this regulation, the gear defined in this section may also be used for commercial crab harvesting.

(2) "Bank trap" means an enclosure constructed of wire mesh not more than 4 feet long and not more than 4 feet wide, with a single row of hedging not more than 75 feet long.

(3) "Barrel" means a container which holds not more than 2-1/2 U.S. standard bushels of crabs and does not exceed the following inside dimensions:

(a) 20-1/2 inches across the top diameter;

(b) 27-1/2 inches height; and

(c) 18 inches along the bottom diameter.

(4) "Channel pound" means an enclosure constructed of wire mesh not more than 8 feet long and not more than 4 feet wide, with two rows of hedging, each not longer than 100 feet long.

(5) "Crab scrape" means a scoop or other device which is dragged along the bottom for the purpose of catching crabs.

(6) "Hand scrape" means a single scoop or other device which is:

(a) Dragged along the bottom for the purpose of catching crabs; and

(b) Retrieved by hand without the aid of any mechanical device during any stage of the retrieval.

(7) "Lug" means a rectangular-shaped container that does not exceed the following inside dimensions:

(a) 22-7/8 inches in length across the top;

(b) 14-7/8 inches in width across the top;

(c) 21 inches length across the bottom;

(d) 13 inches width across the bottom; and

(e) 12-3/8 inches height.

Md. Code Regs. 08.02.03.01

Regulation .01B amended effective March 30, 1977 (4:7 Md. R. 578); May 23, 1983 (10:10 Md. R. 872); December 30, 1985 (12:26 Md. R. 2543); December 4, 1995 (22:24 Md. R. 1894)
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective April 4, 1985 (12:9 Md. R. 806); emergency status expired June 29, 1985
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective September 15, 1995 (22:20 Md. R. 1538); emergency status expired December 31, 1995
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective June 1, 1996 (23:13 Md. R. 937); emergency status expired October 31, 1996
Regulation .01B amended as an emergency provision effective April 2, 1997 (24:9 Md. R. 653); amended permanently effective September 8, 1997 (24:18 Md. R. 1295)
Regulation .01B amended effective July 23, 2001 (28:14 Md. R. 1320); November 11, 2002 (29:22 Md. R. 1720); April 14, 2003 (30:7 Md. R. 486); February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 289)
Regulation .01D amended effective April 1, 1976 (3:8 Md. R. 424); October 17, 1980 (7:21 Md. R. 1994); January 17, 1983 (10:1 Md. R. 27); August 15, 1983 (10:16 Md. R. 1450); September 10, 1984 (11:18 Md. R.1583); March 28, 1994 (21:6 Md. R. 466); October 10, 1994 (21:20 Md. R. 1731); March 22, 1999 (26:6 Md. R. 483)
Regulations .01, J, amended as an emergency provision effective August 10, 1994 (21:18 Md. R. 1505)
Regulation .01D amended as an emergency provision effective March 31, 2004 (31:8 Md. R. 643); amended permanently effective August 2, 2004 (31:15 Md. R. 1185)
Regulation .01D amended effective February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 289)
Regulation .01G repealed effective February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 289)
Regulation .01H amended effective April 1, 1976 (3:6 Md. R. 357); March 30, 1977 (4:7 Md. R. 578);April 7, 1978 (5:7 Md. R. 521); May 4, 1979 (6:9 Md. R. 726); October 17, 1980 (7:21 Md. R. 1994); May 24, 1982 (9:10 Md. R. 1019); August 15, 1983 (10:16 Md. R. 1450); May 6, 1985 (12:9 Md. R. 810); December 4, 1995 (22:24 Md. R. 1894)
Regulation .01H amended as an emergency provision effective February 10, 1988 (15:5 Md. R. 612); adopted permanently effective July 25, 1988 (15:15 Md. R. 1808)
Regulation .01H amended as an emergency provision effective September 14, 1995 (22:20 Md. R. 1538); emergency status expired March 14, 1996
Regulation .01H amended as an emergency provision effective April 1, 1996 (23:8 Md. R. 602); amended permanently effective June 17, 1996 (23:12 Md. R. 868)
Regulation .01H amended effective March 24, 2000 (27:5 Md. R. 582); July 23, 2001 (28:14 Md. R. 1320)
Regulation .01H amended as an emergency provision effective March 31, 2004 (31:8 Md. R. 643); amended permanently effective August 2, 2004 (31:15 Md. R. 1185)
Regulation .01I amended as an emergency provision effective July 24, 1978 (5:16 Md. R. 1252); adopted permanently effective October 20, 1978 (5:21 Md. R. 1586)
Regulation .01I amended effective March 30, 1977 (4:7 Md. R. 578); August 15, 1983 (10:16 Md. R. 1456); September 10, 1984 (11:18 Md. R. 1583); March 28, 1994 (21:6 Md. R. 466); October 10, 1994 (21:20 Md. R. 1731); March 22, 1999 (26:6 Md. R. 483)
Regulation .01I amended as an emergency provision effective March 31, 2004 (31:8 Md. R. 643); amended permanently effective August 2, 2004 (31:15 Md. R. 1185)
Regulation .01I amended effective February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 289)
Regulation .01J amended effective May 9, 1975 (2:12 Md. R. 865); April 1, 1976 (3:6 Md. R. 357); as an emergency provision May 17, 1976 (3:12 Md. R. 641), permanently adopted effective August 18, 1976 (3:17 Md. R. 914); March 30, 1977 (4:7 Md. R. 578); August 3, 1977 (4:16 Md. R. 1210); April 7, 1978 (5:7 Md. R. 521); as an emergency provision effective June 29, 1978 (5:14 Md. R. 1131); adopted permanently effective September 22, 1978 (5:19 Md. R. 1444); amended effective March 7, 1980 (7:5 Md. R. 473); October 17, 1980 (7:21 Md. R. 1994); amended as an emergency provision effective June 24, 1981 (8:14 Md. R. 1251), adopted permanently effective September 28, 1981 (8:19 Md. R. 1565); amended effective February 1, 1982 (9:2 Md. R. 113); May 24, 1982 (9:10 Md. R. 1019); August 16, 1982 (9:16 Md. R. 1602); September 13, 1982 (9:18 Md. R. 1800); October 11, 1982 (9:20 Md. R. 1981); January 17, 1983 (10:1 Md. R. 27); March 14, 1983 (10:5 Md. R. 465); March 28, 1983 (10:6 Md. R. 554); April 25, 1983 (10:8 Md. R. 724); August 15, 1983 (10:16 Md. R. 1450); October 10, 1983 (10:20 Md. R. 1785); January 16, 1984 (11:1 Md. R. 41); April 9, 1984 (11:7 Md. R. 622); May 6, 1985 (12:9 Md. R. 810); February 9, 1987 (14:3 Md. R. 271)
Regulation .01J amended as an emergency provision effective June 23, 1987 (14:15 Md. R. 1655); emergency status expired October 23, 1987; amended as an emergency provision effective April 1, 1988 (15:9 Md. R. 1106); amended permanently effective November 14, 1988 (15:23 Md. R. 2658)
Regulation .01J amended effective September 5, 1988 (15:18 Md. R. 2145); April 16, 1990 (17:7 Md. R. 847); February 4, 1991 (18:2 Md. R. 148); January 1, 1993 (19:18 Md. R. 1655); March 28, 1994 (21:6 Md. R. 466); June 6, 1994 (21:11 Md. R. 950); October 10, 1994 (21:20 Md. R. 1731); June 17, 1996 (23:12 Md. R. 869); March 22, 1999 (26:6 Md. R. 483); June 26, 2000 (27:12 Md. R. 1138); July 23, 2001 (28:14 Md. R. 1320); August 20, 2001 (28:16 Md. R. 1481); April 1, 2002 (29:6 Md. R. 566)
Regulation .01J amended as an emergency provision effective June 30, 1995 (22:15 Md. R. 1110); amended permanently effective December 4, 1995 (22:24 Md. R. 1894)
Regulation .01J amended as an emergency provision effective November 13, 1995 (22:25 Md. R. 1958); emergency status expired December 31, 1995
Regulation .01J amended as an emergency provision effective March 31, 2004 (31:8 Md. R. 643) amended permanently effective August 2, 2004 (31:15 Md. R. 1185)
Regulation .01J amended February 14, 2005 (32:3 Md. R. 289)
Regulation .01K amended as an emergency provision effective April 7, 1983 (10:9 Md. R. 788); emergency status extended to June 20, 1983 (10:11 Md. R. 962); adopted permanently effective July 4, 1983 (10:13 Md. R. 1179)
Regulation .01A amended effective February 25, 2008 (35:4 Md. R. 512)
Regulation .01B, C amended effective March 23, 2009 (36:6 Md. R. 487)
Regulation .01C amended as an emergency provision effective June 1, 2008 (35:13 Md. R. 1174); emergency status extended to December 16, 2008 (35:23 Md. R. 2011); emergency status expired December 16, 2008; amended effective 44:6 Md. R. 324, eff. 3/27/2017; amended effective 49:3 Md. R.138, eff. 2/7/2022; amended effective 50:19 Md. R. 852, eff. 8/31/2023, exp. 12/31/2023(Emergency); amended effective 51:6 Md. R. 269, eff. 4/1/2024.