Summary of Maryland Commercial Fisheries Regulations
FISH HEALTH HOTLINE: 1-888-584-3110
This is an abridged version of the regulations and does not include all regulated species. May not include Emergency Amendments, Quota Closures/Modifications or Proposed Amendments. Consult the Maryland Register, Code of Maryland Regulations, Public Notices and Natural Resources Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland for full legal text. Under State Govt. Article, Section 7-217, Annotated Code of Maryland, the printed version of COMAR is the official and enforceable text. Only the official text may be judicially noticed under Courts and Judicial Proceedings, Section 10-203, Annotated Code of Maryland. Some species have direct links to their full text regulations. To access this information just click on the species name when underlined. Maryland regulates the following finfish and shellfish species as listed below. This is not a comprehensive list of all the finfish or shellfish in Maryland, only the finfish and shellfish species regulated by Maryland. For additional information call Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Service, at 410-260-8260 or 1-800-688-FINS or e-mail Dianne Samuels.
The EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone)- All waters from the seaward boundary of coastal states (3 miles from shore) out to 200 nautical miles. Maryland waters are from the shore to 3 miles.| Species | Minimum Size | Commercial Season, Days, Times and Area Restrictions | Special Conditions/Comments |
| Bass, Black Sea | 11" | Landing Permit required |
Individual fishing quotas established and limits are assigned on black sea bass permit card. Vessel may not land more than the allocation assigned on the black sea bass permit card. Individuals who do not possess a Maryland black sea bass permit may not land more than 50 lbs. of black sea bass per day. |
| Bass, Striped Bay Pound Net |
18" - 36" | June 1 - November 30 (including Saturdays) Maximum 4 nets/licensee |
Permit required 200 lbs/licensee/net/day - 1,000 lbs/net/season |
Bass, Striped Bay Haul Seine |
18" - 36" | June 7 - November 30 Mon thru Fri |
Permit required. Participants must have a Dept. sealed haul seine. 1,250 lbs/licensee/season - 750 lbs/licensee/day |
Bass, Striped Bay Hook & Line |
18" - 36" | June 14 - Nov 30 |
400 lb/day, 800 lb/weekly - No more than 4 persons/boat 2 crew/licensee. Check in 3 hours after trip or by 9:00 pm day of harvest OR by 9:00 am the following day Permit and flag required. Call 1-800-999-2800 for season updates |
| Bass, Striped - Bay - Drift Gill Net |
18" - 36" |
|
Permit required-4permits/boat max. Harvest must be checked
in 3 hours after trip or no later than 9 pm the day of harvest. |
| Bass, Striped Ocean Trawl Drift Gill Net |
24" | Jan 1 - Apr 30 and Nov 1 - Dec 31 |
Permit Required-1,950 lbs/licensee/season |
| Bluefish | 8" | Open year round | |
| Catfish: Blue, Channel, White |
10" | Open year round | |
| Clam, Hard | Worcester Co. Transverse 1" All others Transverse 7/8" |
Sept 15 - May 31 Sunrise to 4 pm |
Patent tong season same as for oysters. Hydraulic dredge use in Coastal Bays prohibited year round beginning October 1, 2008. Hydraulic Dredge: 4pm daily closure. 9/15 - 10/15 and 4/15 -5/31 prohibited between OC airport and Rt. 90 bridge. Saturdays prohibited north of South Point. |
| Clam, Soft | 2" | 15 bu/day/boat May 15-Oct 31 8 bu/day/boat - Nov 1-May 14 |
Cooling required April 15 - October 31 Oct 1 - Apr 14 - Sunrise - Sunset Apr 15 - Sept 30 - 1/2 hour before sunrise - 1 pm |
| Conch | 6" | Open year round | |
| Crab, Blue |
All season
|
Apr 1 - Dec 15 Pots/Traps/Rings/Handlines or Dip nets: 1/2 hour before sunrise - 7-1/2 hour after sunrise May set pots aboard boat until 8-1/2 hour after sunrise Trotlines/Scrapes: Apr, Oct, Nov and Dec Sunrise - 10 hours after sunrise May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep 1 hour before sunrise - 9 hours after sunrise Sun or Mon Off |
Changes being proposed for 2008 Season Crabbing will be permitted on May 25, Jun 29 and 30 Aug 31, Sep 1, Oct 12 and 13, |
Crab, Horseshoe |
Jun 9 - Jun 30 1 Mile off Atlantic Coast- 100/person/day with permit Jul 1 thru Nov 28 All waters-Quota on permit |
Harvest/Landings Permitted Mon-Fri Sat and Sun Closed Permittee catch limit based on the ratio of landings reported during 1996 as applied to the annual total allowable landings for the present year. |
| Croaker | 9" | CLOSED Jan 1 - Mar 15 | |
| Drum, Black | 16" | BAY-No commercial harvest | Atlantic Ocean Quota 1,500 lbs. |
| Drum, Red | 18"-25" Max. |
Open year round | 5 fish/person/day |
| Eel, American | 6" | Open year round | 25/person/day < 6" if pot mesh < ½" x ½", escape panel required |
| Flounder, Summer (Ches. Bay) |
16½" Hook & Line 14" Other gear |
Annual Quota
|
50 lbs/day |
| Flounder, Summer (Ocean & Coastal Bays) | 17½" Hook & Line 14" Other gear |
Annual Quota |
Individual IFQ issued Individual without permit 100 lbs/day |
| Herring | NONE | CLOSED June 6 -December 31 |
|
| Lobster | 3-3/8" carapace Max. 5½" Female |
Open year round | Lobster rules on size and v-notch may change 2008. No egg bearing, scraped or scrubbed Lobsters Contact National Marine Fisheries Service (978) 281-9278 for updated regulations |
| Mackerel, Spanish | 14" | Open year round | |
| Oyster | 3" | Tonging & Diving: Oct 1-31 and Jan 1-Mar 31 Mon-Fri Sunrise til 3PM 15 Bushels/Licensee 30 Bushels/Boat (Tong, Dive and Dredge Boat Nov 1- Dec 31 ONLY Hours: Sunrise til Sunset) Skipjacks: Nov 1 - Mar 31 Mon-Fri Sunrise til Sunset on Pre-registered Push Days Sunrise til 3PM on Non Push Days Limit: 150 bushel/boat |
Several Areas CLOSED - Consult Public Notices Sunrise til 3 PM Mon-Fri |
| Perch, White | 8" | Open year round | |
| Perch, Yellow | Hook & Line = 9" All other gear = 8½" - 11" See Comments |
Hook & Line 5/person/day CLOSED FOR ALL GEAR Feb 1 thru March 14 |
Closed Watersheds: Choptank, Magothy, Miles, Nanticoke, Patapsco, Severn, South, West and Wye Rivers Fyke nets are prohibited in tributaries upstream of the first 200 foot channel width in the month of February. McIntosh Run (off Breton Bay) and Northeast Creek (off Northeast River) no harvest, recreational or commercial, is allowed from February 1 – March 31. |
| Walleye Pike |
|
|
Rod and Reel, Hook and Line only |
| Scup | 9" | Jan-Apr (Winter I) May-Oct (Summer) Nov-Dec(Winter II) |
Summer and Winter Quotas |
| Sea Trout, Spotted | 12" | Open year round | Trawl and Gill Net Restrictions, revised mesh size. |
| Shad, American & Hickory | CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Sturgeon (Atlantic & Shortnose) |
CLOSED | CLOSED | CLOSED |
| Snapping Turtles |
NONE | OPEN YEAR ROUND | May not use hook and line, trotline, bow and arrow, spear, gig or gig iron or any device that would pierce any part of a turtle. May not catch or attempt to catch in tributary waters of Charles Co. from 4/15 - 5/31 |
| Tautog | 14" | Closed in December. |
A pot and trap shall have hinges on one panel/door made of untreated hemp or jute string 3/16" diameter or smaller, magnesium alloy fasteners or ungalvinized/uncoated iron wire of 0.094" diameter |
| Terrapin |
PROHIBITED AFTER JULY 1, 2007 | ||
| Weakfish | 12" |
Ocean:
All gear except Trawl: Chesapeake Bay: All gear |
Chesapeake Bay Hook and Line season closed Oct 1. Trawl and Gill Net Restrictions, revised mesh size During a Closed Weakfish Season 150/lbs/day of By-Catch is permitted for any gear other than Hook and Line provided that at least equal poundage of other species is landed. |
Shark and Tuna are Federally Managed Species. Call National Marine Fisheries Service for more information.
Shark - (301)713-2347
Tuna - (888)872-8862
http://www.nmfspermits.com/