Sponge crabs

[jimthere]

Hello everyone its been a while since i last posted. I have a question regarding the dark sponge crab regulation. The regulation states you cant keep dark sponges between march? through june 15th **with the exception of 10 dark sponges **per bushel.

Now the question i have is if someone is crabbing somewhere there will only be female crabs (%99 of the time ie ocean view pier) and they start putting dark sponged female crabs in their bucket with no regard even after being informed, does this count towards their bushel that they have not quite gotten yet? Then what if they dont get a bushel, what if they only get 10 dark sponges? Have they broken the law or just worked it? So 10 per person...lets say they have the kids with them. They could take 30 darks home.

Should i even care?

[Crabby Crabber]

It is my belief that the "per person " rule applies to all limits. So if there are three of you, you can take home 30. It won't matter if you have your bushel yet. If you chose to, you could keep only the sponges and toss back all the males.

But, We all know that the rules are subject to all kinds of interpretations. Best bet would be to call your local game and fish office and ask them to verify the rule for you.

Good luck out there !

[Mr. Breeze]

Please explain to me why you would even want to keep them?  The dark sponges are ready to drop.  They are the future of the blue crab population.  Let em all go.

[jack1747]

*Dark sponge (brown through black coloration) crabs must be returned to the water alive and not altered or destroyed in any manner during the period of March 17 thru July 15; however, a tolerance of 10 dark sponge crabs per bushel is allowed [4 VAC 20-370-20].


The law is written so that if a person mistakenly kept up to 10 dark sponge crabs in a full bushel it would be tolerated.  If a person has only 10 dark sponge crabs in the basket it was not a mistake and are in violation of the first part.  I called my friend that is a VMRC officer, he said he would definitely ticket the person.   

[R D]

Shouldn't be a tolerance of any at all,aint no wonder West Virgina split off to be their own state. 

[jimthere]

Please explain to me why you would even want to keep them?  The dark sponges are ready to drop.  They are the future of the blue crab population.  Let em all go.

Sorry to be a bit more clear i asked this because last year i was seeing other people take them but it was after june 15th, so i couldnt really do anything. Two days ago when i was out at the pier i saw a couple doing this. As i was leaving i thought, should i call and report it or not because of the allowance of the 10? I decided not to make a deal of it and just left. The couple clearly didnt care about it but i do and will not even bring my crab stuff to this pier because i know that sponges are all that you catch out there. I will not keep any females sponges or not.

Jack...that was the impression of the law that i had. That it is some sort of leeway for people with a lot of crabs not some guy with a dip net and a bucket of sponges.