News - MD DNR announces new catch limits for Commercial and Rec crabbers -- The Southern Maryland Chronicle (by David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor June 28, 2022)

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Commerical Male Crabbing

The Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, in consultation with blue crab advisory groups, announces the commercial male hard crab catch limits for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries for July through December 2022.

Male hard crab catch limits include a catch of all-male market categories combined (e.g., number ones, number twos, and mixed/culls).

There are no catch limits for male crabs from July 1 – July 31, 2022, and October 1 – November 30, 2022, dates inclusive. No male hard crab harvest is allowed from December 1 – December 15, 2022.

The catch of male hard crabs on board a vessel must be kept either entirely in bushels or entirely in lugs. Containers may not be mixed on a vessel.

Male hard crab bushel limits are based on results of the winter crab dredge survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and consultation with advisory groups and stakeholders.

Crew limits as described in Annotated Code of Maryland, Natural Resources Article, §4-814, are in effect. If crew members are not on board, then the licensee is restricted to the TFL or CB3 bushel limits.

Effective 12:01 a.m. July 1, 2022, the bushel limits are: