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New Crab Regulations for 2014

Good Information 
8K views 22 replies 14 participants last post by  Alley Cat 
#1 ·
The regulations that were proposed in October have been signed by the Secretary & will take effect on Jan 2014

Mostly housekeeping stuff but also some changes to recreational gear & catch limits

the full text is posted here in the Md register, a long & hard read

http://www.dsd.state.md.us/MDRegister/4021.pdf starting on page 1784

I will try to summarize them here.

The action requires individuals that set crab pots from
private shoreline property to obtain a free registration.

the complimentary license issued to a recreational sport fishing boat will no longer double as a recreational crabbing boat license.
it will only be an individual crab license for the licensee.

The action also standardizes the catch limit for an
unlicensed recreational crabber whether crabbing from a boat or the
shore.
( there is tables listed in the proposal, too much to copy here)

the action removes the license exemption for less than 10 crab traps or net rings.
now a license is required to use any number of traps or net rings or sienes.
only hand lines & dip nets are allowed without a license

the requirement to mark crab trap & net ring floats with the owners name has been changed.
recreational floats will now be required to have the owners DNR Id #

the prohibition for setting gear less than 100 ft from a trotline has been changed to prohibit setting gear less than 100 ft from any other set gear.

this covers all the points that I found however it is a long read & it is possible that I may have missed something

these proposed regulations were adopted by the Secretary on DEC 3rd & are effective Jan 1 2014
 
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#5 ·
the complimentary license issued to a recreational sport fishing boat will no longer double as a recreational crabbing boat license.
it will only be an individual crab license for the licensee.


Does that mean everyone on the boat needs a crabbing license?
This is what I read:

E. Exceptions. An individual who catches or attempts to catch
crabs for recreational purposes in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay
and its tidal tributaries is not required to have a recreational crabbing
license if the individual:

(5) Is aboard a boat assisting an individual who has a
recreational crabbing license; or
(6) Is crabbing for recreational purposes from a boat that has
been licensed
(a) by the Department as a recreational crabbing boat.
 
#3 ·
NO

The Department shall issue a complimentary recreational crabbing license to an individual who purchases a:
(a) Recreational crabbing boat license; or
(b) Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport fishing boat license in
accordance with Natural Resources Article, §4-745(d)(2), Annotated
Code of Maryland.
(2) The individual issued the complimentary recreational
crabbing license has the same restrictions as an individual with a
recreational crabbing license.
 
#4 ·
the prohibition for setting gear less than 100 ft from a trotline has been changed to prohibit setting gear less than 100 ft from any other set gear.

I see big problems with this one. So I can bring my 30 ring traps and take up 3,000 feet or more as I can set in a box formation and really screw some people.
 
#10 ·
OR people could screw with you and set their gear in the middle of your square and keep zipping around in between your traps. 100 feet really is not that far when on the water. I usually make sure I'm a 100 yards from people. I hate when people get their boats right up to mine...
 
#8 ·
Showing my age but I miss the old but simple rules.

5 traps per person

300 feet of trotline per boat

1 bushel per person

5 inch size

Throw back females with eggs

No time limits or Weds closure

Memory is not the best but I really think that was it.

Now - no disrespect to DNR - you need to be a lawyer to keep it all straight.
 
#13 ·
Thats what I do and then set dummy lines attached to bricks and old pool noodles to creat a larger buffer area around me.

I mark them with names like OMalley and Obama. Oh my? This year I have to make up a DNRid for them.

OU812 4U2P should work.
 
#15 ·
Thats what I do and then set dummy lines attached to bricks and old pool noodles to creat a larger buffer area around me.

I mark them with names like OMalley and Obama. Oh my? This year I have to make up a DNRid for them.

OU812 4U2P should work.
I've seen that done before.BTW are you trying to get Irish people in trouble ?
 
#16 ·
Crabbing Activities vs Recreational crabbing?

Can someone explain what that means. Reading the 2 threads on the new regs, I couldn't come to a conclusion of exactly what they were regarding the boat license. So I googled it, and on this DNR page:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/proposedregulations.asp

it states the following:

"...The complimentary crabbing license issued to an individual with the Chesapeake Bay sport fishing boat license allows the individual to recreationally crab, it does not license the boat for crabbing activities. ..."

I take from this that me sportfishing boat license does allow me (& everyone else on my boat) to crab using recreational gear keeping up to 2 bushel for 2 or more crabbers on the boat, or 1 bushel if I'm crabbing solo.

I'll ask the tackle shop when I stop in to get my license to see what their take is on this...
 
#17 ·
Can someone explain what that means. Reading the 2 threads on the new regs, I couldn't come to a conclusion of exactly what they were regarding the boat license. So I googled it, and on this DNR page:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/proposedregulations.asp

it states the following:

"...The complimentary crabbing license issued to an individual with the Chesapeake Bay sport fishing boat license allows the individual to recreationally crab, it does not license the boat for crabbing activities. ..."

I take from this that me sportfishing boat license does allow me (& everyone else on my boat) to crab using recreational gear keeping up to 2 bushel for 2 or more crabbers on the boat, or 1 bushel if I'm crabbing solo.

I'll ask the tackle shop when I stop in to get my license to see what their take is on this...
I interpret it to mean that the boat license is issued to you (not the boat) and for the purposes of crabbing the boat license gives you a crab license that is non-transferable to others that may operate your licensed boat in your absence.
 
#20 ·
B
the complimentary recreational license that is issued to the purchaser of a chesapeake sport boat fishing license is only an individual license & it only carries the permissions that accompany any other individual recreational crab license.

it is not a recreational crab boat license & does not allow the permissions that accompany a recreational crab boat license. the most commonly used permission for a boat licensed as a recreational crab boat would be allowing someone else to use your boat for crabbing if it has a a recreational crab boat license.
check out the rules below

C. Complimentary Recreational Crabbing License.
(1) The Department shall issue a complimentary recreational crabbing license to an individual who purchases a:
(a) Recreational crabbing boat license; or
(b) Chesapeake Bay and coastal sport fishing boat license in accordance with Natural Resources Article, §4-745(d)(2), Annotated Code of Maryland.
(2) The individual issued the complimentary recreational crabbing license has the same restrictions as an individual with a recreational crabbing license.

NEVER rely on the "guy at the tackle shop" and DO NOT rely on the clerks at the regional service centers for the answers to your questions. they are not knowledgeable or kept up to date on the law, they are not legal advisers.!!
In the past 4 years I have been to the Belair & Annapolis servicecenters 5 times. in every instance they have tried to overcharge myself & my family members. had I not been there, my family members would have paid the overcharges with out question.
my questions to them were answered incorrectly more than 50% of the time & when i pointed out to them how the law was written & asked them to explain..they could not & usually went off & found someone to consult with, then it would usually take me showing the law or regulation to whomever they consulted with to get even an attempt at an explanation ( many times , they could not explain, & they would admit it) and a resolution.

each individual should read understand and follow the law as it applies to their individual circumstances.


Do Not rely on an untrained clerk for legal advice!!
 
#22 ·
When I started crabbing commercially on the Gunpowder river with a 1500 ft. trotline in 1977,we didn't have these problems.On a weekday,there might have been 3-5 of us crabbers on the whole river.With so few crabbers and so many crabs,we could catch 4-8 bu.a day most of the summer til mid October.That changed fast when they put in the boat ramp at Mariners Landing for all willing boaters to enjoy the water.Our waterways have now become "Overenjoyed" especially with our growing population.Regulations will only get tighter in the future.
 
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