Fishing Laws on Blue Crabs

Specific regulations for blue crab fishing vary from state to state, as well as in different areas. It is always necessary to check local regulations before fishing to make sure no violations occur. There are some basic regulations that are instituted in almost every area that can help people understand blue crab fishing laws.

  1. Licenses

    • Licenses are required in most states to fish for blue crabs. There are some varying regulations on who needs a license, depending on the state. In Florida, for example, you'll need a license if you're using traps or other mechanisms; if you're using a hook and line from the shore, you don't need a license. In Maryland, a license is required when certain gear is used or a certain amount of crabs are caught. People under those limits do not need to have a blue crab fishing license. Always check the regulations of an area to make sure you've obtained proper licensing.

    Seasons

    • Most states have a specific time period or season when fishing for blue crab is permitted. In Florida, there are certain time periods when traps cannot be used, so lost and abandoned crap traps can be retrieved from the water. Other methods for catching blue crabs are still allowed during this time, but trapping is not. Rhode Island does not have a set season, but does not allow blue crab fishing from sunset to sunrise. In Maryland, the fishing season runs from 1 April to 15 December.

    Gear

    • It is very important to know what type of blue crab fishing gear is allowed in certain areas to avoid paying serious fines. In Florida, fishermen are allowed to use crab traps, dip or landing nets, drop nets, hook and line, fold up traps and trot lines. No more than five traps can be used at one time in Florida by any person. Maryland blue crab fishing can be done by the same methods, but if someone uses a trap that closes automatically, he can face a $1000 fine. In Rhode Island, only residents can fish for blue crab and they are not allowed to use traps -- just hand lines, trot lines, dip nets, scoop nets and crab nets.

    Limits and Restrictions on Crabs

    • Restrictions on size, daily limits and the ability to keep female crabs are also going to vary from state to state. In Florida, harvesting female crabs that are holding eggs or sponge crabs is illegal, but there are no minimum or maximum size limits. Fishermen are also able to keep 10 gallons of whole blue crabs per person, per day. Rhode Island has a 5-inch size minimum requirement when blue crabs are measured from spike to spike, and their daily limit is number based at 25 per day. Maryland has size limits on male crabs that are harvested, depending on the time of year.