Summary of Maryland Commercial Fisheries Regulations

FISH HEALTH HOTLINE: 1-877-224-7229

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" Jun 1 - Nov 30
(including Saturdays)
Maximum 4 nets/licensee 		Permit required. Licensee assigned multiple striped bass pound net allocations on a permit, or a seasonal allocation of at least 6,000 lbs. the daily limit is 1,600 lbs/day. Licensee with a single allocation, the daily limit is 800 lbs/day.
Bass, Striped
Bay
Haul Seine 		18" - 36" Jun 8 - Nov 30
Mon thru Fri

 Permit required. Participants must have a Dept. sealed haul seine.
1,250 lbs/licensee/season - 750 lbs/licensee/net/day
Bass, Striped
Bay
Hook & Line 		18" - 36"

Jun 15 - Nov 30
Mon thru Thu

Closed effective 12:01 a.m Nov 11, 2009.

1,500 lb/weekly-500 lb/licensee/day - 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"

Jan 1-Feb 28 and
Dec 1 - Dec 31
3:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Mon thru Fri.

Permit required-4 permits/boat max. Harvest must be checked in 3 hours after trip or no later than 9 pm the day of harvest.
500 lbs/licensee/day 2,500 lbs/licensee/week
Bass, Striped
Ocean Trawl
Drift Gill Net
 		24"

Jan 1 - Apr 30 and Nov 2 - Dec 31
Mon thru Fri.

Permit Required-1,950 lbs/licensee/season
Bluefish 8" Open year round  
Catfish:
Blue, Channel, White 		10" Open year round  
Clam, Hard Transverse 1"
 		Sept 15 - May 31
Sunrise to 4 pm 		Patent tong season same as for oysters.
Hydraulic Dredge: Sunrise to 4pm daily.
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
Harvest time: Nov 1 - Apr 14 - Sunrise - Sunset
Apr 15 - Oct 31 - 1/2 hour before sunrise - 1 pm
Conch 6" Open year round  
Crab, Blue

All season
3½" Soft Crab

No Min. size for Mature Females
4/1-7/14
5" Hard
3¼" Peeler


7/15 - 12/15
5¼" Hard
3½" Peeler

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

Mature Female Harvest Bushel Limits: Apr 1 thru May 31 - LCC=2; TFL or CB3=10; TFL/CB6 or
CB3/CB6=15; TFL/CB9 or CB3/CB9=20. Jun 16 thru Aug 31-LCC=2; TFL or CB3=6; TFL/CB6 or CB3/CB6=10; TFL/CB9 or CB3/CB9=15; Sep 1 thru Nov 10 (except Sep and Oct closure)-LCC=10; TFL or CB3=25; TFL/CB6 or CB3/CB6=35; TFL/CB9 or CB3/CB9=45
MATURE FEMALE HARVEST PROHIBITED: JUN 1 THRU JUN 15; SEP 26 THRU OCT 4 AND
NOV 11 THRU DEC 15.

Crabbing will be permitted on May 24 and 25, Jun 28 and 29 Sep 6 and 7, Oct 11 and 12,
Nov 8, 9, 22 and 23, 2009

Crabbing will not be permitted Nov 12, and Nov 19, 2009

Trotline floats same size, shape and color

Special provisions for Worcester Co:
Season Apr 1 - Oct 31
Cull ring closed Apr 23 - May 31
Catch Limit - 25 bushels/boat/day
5:30 am to 2:00 pm No scrapes/dredges
5" Hard entire season

Potomac River Fisheries Regulations

Crab, Horseshoe

Jun 8 - Jul 10 1 Mile off Atlantic Coast- 100/person/day with permit
CLOSED EFFECTIVE 12:01A.M. 10/8/09

Jul 13 thru Nov 30 All waters-Quota on permit
25/person/day without permit


Harvest/Landings Permitted Mon-Fri
Must land 2 males for every female landed.
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

Effective October 1, 2009 CLOSED

Flounder, Summer (Ocean & Coastal Bays) 18" Hook & Line
14" Other gear 		Annual Quota

Individual IFQ issued

Individual without permit 50 lbs/day

Herring NONE CLOSED
June 6 -December 31 		 
Lobster 3-3/8" carapace
minimum

Open year round
Max. 5-1/4" for female and male


V-notched females prohibited.

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

(Tong, Dive and Dredge Boat Nov 1- Dec 31 ONLY Hours: Sunrise until Sunset)

Skipjacks:
Nov 2 - Mar 31 Mon-Fri
Sunrise until Sunset on Pre-registered Push Days
Sunrise until 3PM on Non Push Days

Several Areas CLOSED - Consult Public Notices

Power Dredge Nov 2 thru Mar 31 in designated areas of Calvert, Dorchester, Somerset, St. Mary's, Talbot and Wicomico counties. Permit required for Power Dredge.

Sunrise until 3 PM Mon-Fri

The daily catch limits for the taking of oysters from the natural oyster bars of the State are the following:

Means of Catching Limit
A. Shaft tong, patent tong, and diving apparatus 15 bushels per licensee, not to exceed 30 bushels per boat
B. Dredge boat 150 bushels per boat
C. Power dredging 12 bushels per licensee, not to exceed 24 bushels per boat

 

Perch, White 8" Open year round  
Perch, Yellow Hook & Line = 9"
All other gear = 8½" - 11"
See Comments

Hook & Line 10/person/day

Jan 1 thru Mar 10

Fyke nets are prohibited in certain areas of ttributaries in February and March . Fishing allowed in Bay, north of bridge excluding Magothy, and in the Patuxent.

Must have PERMIT and TAGS. Daily phone reporting required.

 
Walleye Pike


15"


Mar 15 thru Nov 30
5/person/day

Rod and Reel, Hook and Line only
Scup 9" Jan-Apr (Winter I)
May-Oct (Summer)
Nov-Dec (Winter II)

Summer and Winter Quotas
Mesh Size Restrictions/Trap Escape Panel
Winter I: 30,000 lbs/trip, reduced to 1,000 lbs when 80% of quota is projected to be caught.
Winter II: 2,000 lbs/trip

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
 		11"
OPEN YEAR ROUND
Permit and reporting required
May not pierce a turtle to capture. Charles County closed Apr 15 thru May 31. Turtle Nets must have airspace.
Tautog 14"

Closed in December.
Jan 1 thru May 15 and Nov 1 thru Nov 30
4/person/day
May 16 thru Oct 31 - 2/person/day

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:
Mar 25, 2009 - Apr 25, 2009 and
Sept 3, 2009 thru Nov 14, 2009
Sun Closed .

Trawl: Oct 19, 2009-Dec 29, 2009-
Sat and Sun Closed

Chesapeake Bay: All gear
Aug 5, 2009- Sep 30, 2009

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.

Note:

Shark and Tuna are Federally Managed Species. Call National Marine Fisheries Service for more information.
Shark - (301)713-2347
Commercial Shark Requirements
Tuna - (888)872-8862
http://www.nmfspermits.com/
Last Updated: 11/10/2009