Md. Code Regs. 08.02.03.11

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

Section 08.02.03.11 - Season and Time for Catching Crabs

A. Commercial.

(1) An individual licensed to catch crabs for sale may remove crabs from commercial gear in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries only during the following time periods:

(a) Trotlines:

(i) Except as provided in §A(1)(a)(iii) of this regulation, between 1 hour before sunrise to 9 hours after sunrise during the period May through September;

(ii) Between 1/2 hour before sunrise and 9-1/2 hours after sunrise during April, October, November, and December; and

(iii) Between 2 hours before sunrise to 9 hours after sunrise on Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, July 4, Labor Day, and the day immediately preceding each of those holidays; and

(b) Crab scrapes:

(i) Except as provided in §A(1)(b)(iii) of this regulation, between 1 hour before sunrise to 9 hours after sunrise during the period May through September;

(ii) Between sunrise and 10 hours after sunrise during April and October; and

(c) Crab pots, bank traps, channel pounds, collapsible traps, net rings, handlines, dip nets, and pound nets:

(i) Except as provided in §A(1)(c)(ii) of this regulation, between 1/2 hour before sunrise to 7-1/2 hours after sunrise; and

(ii) Between 1-1/2 hours before sunrise to 7-1/2 hours after sunrise on Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, July 4, Labor Day, and the day immediately preceding each of those holidays.

(2) A person may not catch crabs using a crab scrape from October 31 to April 14, inclusive.

(3) An individual licensed to catch crabs for sale may set or place overboard scrapes only during the following time periods:

(a) Except as provided in §A(3)(c) of this regulation, between 1 hour before sunrise to 9 hours after sunrise during the period May through September;

(b) Between sunrise and 10 hours after sunrise during April and October; and

(c) Between 2 hours before sunrise to 9 hours after sunrise on Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, July 4, Labor Day, and the day immediately preceding each of those holidays.

(4) Crab Pot Set Times. Crab pots may only be set:

(a) During the time periods established in §A(1)(c) of this regulation; or

(b) If already onboard a boat at the end of the time periods established in §A(1)(c) of this regulation, for 1 hour after the end of the time periods established in §A(1)(c) of this regulation.

(5) Time limits specified in this regulation are not applicable to the fishing of bank traps before May 1.

B. Recreational.

(1) Except as provided in §B(2) of this regulation, a person may not set any recreational crabbing gear or catch crabs for recreational purposes during:

(a) May through September between:

(i) 5 p.m. and 1/2 hour before sunrise in the main Chesapeake Bay; and

(ii) Sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay; and

(b) April, October, November, and December between:

(i) 5 p.m. and 1/2 hour after sunrise in the main Chesapeake Bay; and

(ii) Sunset and 1/2 hour after sunrise in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay.

(2) Crab pots, dip nets, and handlines. At all times during the recreational season for crabbing, a person may use:

(a) Crab pots on private property that have been registered in accordance with Regulation .09 of this chapter;

(b) Dip nets; or

(c) Handlines.

C. A person may not catch blue crabs in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries from December 16 through March 31, inclusive.

Md. Code Regs. 08.02.03.11

Regulation .11A amended effective February 25, 2008 (35:4 Md. R. 512)
Regulation .11A 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
Regulation .11A amended effective 40:25 Md. R. 2067, eff.1/1/2013
Regulation .11A, C amended effective March 23, 2009 (36:6 Md. R. 488); October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1590); amended effective 44:6 Md. R. 324, eff. 3/27/2017; amended effective 44:19 Md. R. 896, eff. 9/25/2017; amended effective 46:6 Md. R. 345, eff. 3/25/2019; amended effective 49:3 Md. R.138, eff. 2/7/2022; amended effective 50:13 Md. R. 511, eff. 7/10/2023