reflective stickers on trap floats do i need them by law

[wonkafish123]

im commercial and i run topless traps.was out this weekend and a commercial guy told me i must have reflective tape on my traps.by law do i have to have this?he told me he couldnt see them and wanted to know if i was going to cut them from his prop if he ran over one.never heard this before.anyhelp would be great thanx.dont think i need to have reflective floats by law but i could be wrong.please advise.

[Crabbermanjl]

I don't think so either;

You mentioned you are a commercial crabber? did you mean rec?

◦CRABBING GEAR
◦If the boat is licensed for recreational crabbing with the Recreational Crabbing Boat License or at least one person in the boat possesses an individual recreational crabbing license:
■Trotline (1200 feet of baited line maximum allowed) floats must be the same size, color and shape
■Maximum 30 crab traps or rings
■Handlines
■Dipnets
F. Float Requirements.
(1) A trotline shall have a float of the same color, size, and shape attached to each end.
(2) Floats that have a round or spherical shape shall be at least 12 inches in diameter.
(3) Floats that do not have a round or spherical shape shall be at least 12 inches long and 10 inches wide.

[wonkafish123]

i am commercial

I don't think so either;

You mentioned you are a commercial crabber? did you mean rec?

◦CRABBING GEAR
◦If the boat is licensed for recreational crabbing with the Recreational Crabbing Boat License or at least one person in the boat possesses an individual recreational crabbing license:
■Trotline (1200 feet of baited line maximum allowed) floats must be the same size, color and shape
■Maximum 30 crab traps or rings
■Handlines
■Dipnets
F. Float Requirements.
(1) A trotline shall have a float of the same color, size, and shape attached to each end.
(2) Floats that have a round or spherical shape shall be at least 12 inches in diameter.
(3) Floats that do not have a round or spherical shape shall be at least 12 inches long and 10 inches wide.

[POLECAT]

My comments appear in BLUE.

Here's what I found in COMAR:

08.02.03.06 Collapsible Crab Traps and Crab Net Rings.

D. A collapsible crab trap or crab net ring which is not attached to a pier, wharf, or boat shall be marked with a buoy bearing the name of the owner.



I cannot find any mention of reflective tape requirement for traps appearing in the regs.




08.02.03.11 Season and Time for Catching Crabs.

A. Commercial.
(c) Crab pots, bank traps, channel pounds, collapsible traps, net rings, handlines, dip nets, and pound nets between 1/2 hour before sunrise to 7-1/2 hours after sunrise.

By the time you can legally harvest from traps it is light enough to see the floats.

Hope this helps.