Blue Crabs—Chesapeake Bay

Name: eRegulations
Price range: $

Crabbing License/Registration

See Recreational Crabbing Licenses & Crab Pot Registration.

Season

April 1–Dec. 15.

Time of Day

Setting gear and catching crabs is allowed during the following time periods:

Rivers, creeks and tributaries:

April and Oct. through Dec. 15—one half hour after sunrise to sunset.
May through Sept.—one half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Chesapeake Bay mainstem:

April and Oct. through Dec. 15—one half hour after sunrise to 5 p.m.
May through Sept.—one half hour before sunrise to 5 p.m.

Using handlines and dip nets is permitted 24 hours a day, as well as annually registered crab pots on private property.

Day of Week Restrictions

No recreational crabbing is allowed on Wednesdays except:

When using crab pots from private property;
When using handlines or dip nets;
During a week when a state or federal holiday falls on a Wednesday or Thursday.

Minimum Size Limits (measured from tip to tip of spikes)

Male hard crab:

April 1–July 14—5 inches.
July 15–Dec. 15—5¼ inches.

Male peeler crab:

April 1–July 14—3¼ inches.
July 15–Dec. 15—3½ inches.

Soft crab:

April 1–Dec. 15—3½ inches.

It is Illegal for a Recreational Crabber:

To sell crabs.
To possess an egg-bearing (sponge) crab or any female hard or peeler crab.
To set or fish a trotline, collapsible trap or crab net ring within 100 feet of another individual’s set gear.
To fish crab gear which belongs to another person.
To harvest crabs while SCUBA diving.
To use gear other than the gear listed in the table below.

Additional Crab Pot Rules

Crab pots must have two cull rings, one measuring at least 23⁄16 inches and one at least 25⁄16 inches located in the exterior side panel or the top panels of the pot.
Crab pots must have a turtle reduction device attached to each entrance or funnel in the lower chamber constructed of wire or plastic, rectangular in shape not larger than 1¾ inches high by 4¾ inches long.
Annual registration required.

Daily Creel/Possession Limits

License		Daily Creel / Possession Limit
		Male Hard Crabs	Male Peelers, Soft Crabs or Combination
Unlicensed Individual	From shore From unlicensed boat From waterfront crab pots	2 dozen	1 dozen
Licensed Individual	From shore From unlicensed boat From waterfront crab pots	1 bushel	2 dozen
Boat Limits
Unlicensed Boat	With 1 unlicensed individual	2 dozen male crabs
	With 2 or more unlicensed individuals	4 dozen male crabs
	With 1 or more licensees and any number of unlicensed individuals	April 1 - June 30: 1 bushel
		July 1 - December 15: 1 bushel or 6 dozen if using a container other than a bushel basket
Licensed Boat	With any number of licensed or unlicensed individuals	April 1 - June 30: 1 bushel
		July 1 - December 15: 1 bushel or 6 dozen if using a container other than a bushel basket

The Amount of Gear Allowed for Unlicensed and Licensed Recreational Crabbing
License Status	Handlines and Dip Nets	Crab Pots on Private Property	Trotline	Collapsible Traps and Net Rings	Seine	Eel Pots
Unlicensed	Unlimited	A maximum of 2 annually registered crab pots per property regardless of the number of owners or lessees. These pots must be: Marked with your DNRid Set in front of private property within 100 yards of shore Attached by a line to the property or marked by a buoy or pole and sign Registered annually Equipped with a turtle reduction device	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed	Not Allowed
Licensed	Unlimited		Up to 1200 ft* Must have floats of the same color, size, shape on each end Floats must be marked with your DNRid	Up to 30 traps, rings or combination of both* Must be marked with a buoy bearing your DNRid unless attached to a pier, wharf or boat License not needed if under the age of 16 Traps must have a flat bottom measuring no more than 20 inches by 15 inches and have no more than four articulated sides Net rings must have a diameter less than or equal to 30 inches	Mesh cannot be greater than ¼" Cannot exceed 50' in width and 5' in height Must be emptied from shore	Up to 10 eel pots for catching your own bait Must be labeled with your DNRid and may not be set in a buoy-free channel May not be used to harvest crabs
*The amount of gear is per boat regardless of the number of licensees or individuals on board.

Turtle Reduction Devices Are Required By Law

Turtle reduction devices are required in recreational crab pots in Maryland. These devices reduce the number of terrapins entering a crab pot without hindering blue crab entry. Without turtle reduction devices, terrapins can enter crab pots and drown. To get instructions for making or attaching a turtle reduction device, visit
dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/
regulations/crabpot.aspx

Steps for Installing a Turtle Reduction Device (TRD) on a Crab Pot