PUBLIC NOTICE   |   Chesapeake Bay Commercial Mature Female Hard Crab Catch Limit and Crew Requirements

PUBLIC NOTICE
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Fishing and Boating Services
Chesapeake Bay Commercial Mature Female Hard Crab Catch Limit and Crew Requirements

Bay Wide

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Service (MDNR) announces a revision of the commercial mature female hard crab bushel limits and closure periods for 2014 for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries pursuant to COMAR 08.02.03.14. This revision only affects boats with two or more licensees on board. The bushel limits for individual harvesters remain unchanged. Notwithstanding COMAR 08.02.03.11A(5), there are no closure periods for female harvest in 2014. The daily commercial mature female hard crab bushel limits from September 1, 2014 to November 10, 2014 are as follows:

September 2014 Combined with License Type
License Type Individual Bushel Limit LCC
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB6
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB9
Boat Limit
LCC 4 7 16 22 29
TFL/CB3 14 16 25 31 38
TFL/CB3 with CB6 21 22 31 37 44
TFL/CB3 with CB9 29 29 38 44 51

 

October 2014 Combined with License Type
License Type Individual Bushel Limit LCC
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB6
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB9
Boat Limit
LCC 4 7 17 23 30
TFL/CB3 15 17 26 33 40
TFL/CB3 with CB6 22 23 33 39 46
TFL/CB3 with CB9 30 30 40 46 53

 

November 1-10, 2014 Combined with License Type
License Type Individual Bushel Limit LCC
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB6
Boat Limit
TFL/CB3 with CB9
Boat Limit
LCC 4 7 10 19 28
TFL/CB3 7 10 12 22 31
TFL/CB3 with CB6 18 19 22 32 40
TFL/CB3 with CB9 28 28 30 40 49

The above acronyms stand for: LCC – Limited Crab Harvester License 50 pots; CB3 – Crab Harvester License 300 pots; CB6 – 600 pot authorization; CB9 – 900 pot authorization; and TFL – Unlimited Tidal Fish License

Mature female hard crab bushel limits and closure periods are being revised based on results of the 2013-2014 winter crab dredge survey conducted by the MDNR and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

As described in Annotated Code of Maryland, Natural Resources Article, §4-814, a 600 pot authorization (CB6) requires the license holder to have one crew member in addition to him/herself and a 900 pot authorization (CB9) requires the license holder to have two crew members in addition to him/herself on board. These additional crew members must be on board the vessel in order for the licensee to harvest at the bushel limit assigned to a CB6 or CB9. If crew members are not on board, then the licensee is restricted to the TFL or CB3 bushel limits.

Joseph P. Gill
Secretary
Maryland Department of Natural Resources