Recreational Crabbing Licenses
Term
Crabbing licenses are valid from April 1 through December 31 of each calendar year.
2013 Licenses & Fees
Maryland Resident $5.00 – Non-Resident $10.00
Maryland Resident who possesses a Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fishing License or a Resident Senior Consolidated Sport Fishing License $2.00
Recreational Crab Boat License* $15.00
Consolidated Chesapeake Bay Sport & Coastal Boat License* $50.00
An individual under 16 years of age may crab without a license in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and is restricted to the same limits as an unlicensed crabber.
*One individual crabbing license is included for the individual who purchases this license.
Who Needs A Maryland Recreational Crabbing License?
Anyone who uses the following gear or takes the following quantity of crabs must possess a recreational crabbing license:
- Trotline—1200 feet of baited line maximum allowed. Floats must be the same size, color and shape
- 11 to 30 traps or rings or combination of traps and rings
- Up to 10 eel pots for own bait
- More than 2 dozen with a limit of 1 bushel of hard crabs
- More than 1 dozen with a limit of 2 dozen soft crabs or peelers
License Exemptions
A license is not required of anyone who uses only the following gear and takes the following quantity of crabs:
- 10 or fewer traps and rings or combination of traps and rings
- Dipnet
- Handlines
- No more than 2 dozen hard crabs
- No more than 1 dozen soft crabs or peelers
A license is not required for a private shoreline property owner or lessee.
A maximum of two crab pots per waterfront property may be used, regardless of the number of property owners or lessees.
A license is not required to recreationally harvest crabs in the Coastal Bays, tributaries and the Atlantic Ocean.
Regulations in red are new this year.
Purple text indicates an important note.
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