2009 md regs-When?

[rogerb]

I am waiting to buy my license for the new regs. Any news on when they will be issued?

[Mr. Breeze]

it'll be after the results of the winter dredge survey. and when is that? you may ask?  well, it'll be when ever they want to do it.

[Weber]

What are you waiting for?

A $5 rec license will not change, nor will the $15 rec crab boat......

[ILLSWIMHOME]

it'll be after the results of the winter dredge survey. and when is that? you may ask?  well, it'll be when ever they want to do it.

Did they do one this year?

[jefftoleft]

yes but results not out yet

[rogerb]

To see if the Chesapeake sport boat license drops the crab license. If so I may switch to a crab boat license and buy a fishing license- will save a few bucks that way as I crab most of the time.

[Weber]

To see if the Chesapeake sport boat license drops the crab license. If so I may switch to a crab boat license and buy a fishing license- will save a few bucks that way as I crab most of the time.

Well, you don't have to worry about that, the sport boat will come with the comp rec lic.

Are you the only one who crabs on your boat?

[crabbing4fun]

SOME NEWS.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/pressrelease2009/031909.html

[bassman349]

    I wonder if someone could tell me what the advantage would be in buying the $15.00 boat license vs. the $5.00 crabbing license.  Either way, I believe that I can only keep one bushel of crabs.  If I have the 5 buck license and an unlicensed crabber with me, I can keep 1 bushel.  If I have the $15.00 boat license and an unlicensed crabber with me, I can keep 1 bushel.  This is the way I interpret the regs. Can anyone clear it up for me and tell me if there is some advantage of buying the $15.00 boat license.

[Weber]

    I wonder if someone could tell me what the advantage would be in buying the $15.00 boat license vs. the $5.00 crabbing license.  Either way, I believe that I can only keep one bushel of crabs.  If I have the 5 buck license and an unlicensed crabber with me, I can keep 1 bushel.  If I have the $15.00 boat license and an unlicensed crabber with me, I can keep 1 bushel.  This is the way I interpret the regs. Can anyone clear it up for me and tell me if there is some advantage of buying the $15.00 boat license.

The difference between a $5 license and a $15, is the boat license allows anyone in your boat to crab.  The $5 license does not allow anyone else to crab on your boat unless they also have a $5 license.  In that case you can take two bushels.

If you have your $5 license and have an unlicensed crabber, he can not part take in the crabbing, that means he is not allowed to touch the net, the line, the traps, the crabs, or drive the boat.  He is a spectator only. 

I recommend if you have one buddy that always goes with you and never have a third guy or a different guy, then buy two $5 licenses.  If you have different people and / or more then two people at a time on the boat, buy the $15.  I would also then recommend that you tell the guy who will be your partner most of the time to buy his own $5 license, to allow you to take 2 bushels.

Clear as mud???

[dfran]

The guy without the license, can handline and keep 4 dozen crabs I think.

[ILLSWIMHOME]

The guy without the license, can handline and keep 4 dozen crabs I think.

yep



And I quote.....

"Individuals under 16 are exempt from needing a license, so your kids could crab without purchasing additional licenses.  But, this does NOT give them the ability to harvest a bushel, they are limited to the catch as an unlicensed crabber, which, from a boat is 4 dozen (which means you could keep 1 bushel + 4 dozen).  The under 16 exemption is what allows them to assist with fishing a trot line, collapsible pots or next rings.  Unlicensed crabbers that do not have an exemption are limited to hand lines and dip nets."

[Weber]

The guy without the license, can handline and keep 4 dozen crabs I think.

Yup, but you dont want to try and lie to the DNR and tell them the unlicensed guy didn't help with the trotline, he was handlining it while I took care of the rest....

I dont think it would go over to well...

[ILLSWIMHOME]

Honest officer.  I was using the traps, and he was using the 1000' handline!

[bassman349]

Just thought I would do my best to complicate this thread a little more.

My initial question was concerning whether or not there is some advantage to buying the crab boat license vs. the individual crab license.  The general consensus here seems to be such that anybody crabbing aboard the boat would need a license, even though the licensee on the boat only catches one bushel, everyone seems to believe that anyone else on the boat would need a license to participate in the catching of the bushel using 30 traps, or trotline. 

I think I have found the answer to this misconception.

In reviewing the state law,  Comar sec. 08.02.02.09, I found that when a person is crabbing aboard a boat with a licensed crabber, that person is excepted from the license requirement. Here is an excerpt from that section:

D. Exceptions. An individual who catches or attempts to catch crabs for recreational purposes in the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries is not required to have a recreational crabbing license if the individual:

(1) Uses any of the following gear:

(a) A dipnet;

(b) A handline;

(c) Up to ten collapsible traps or net rings, or combination of ten collapsible traps and net rings; or

(d) A seine which does not exceed 50 feet in length;

(2) Is younger than 16 years old;

(3) Is crabbing for recreational purposes in an area which has been designated by the Department in COMAR 08.02.05.09G as a free fishing area;

(4) Is qualified to use not more than two crab pots as set forth in Regulation .07D of this chapter;

(5) Is aboard a boat with an individual who has a recreational crabbing license; or

(6) Is crabbing for recreational purposes from a boat that has been licensed:

(a) By the Department as a recreational crabbing boat; or

(b) Under Natural Resources Article, §4-745(d)(2), Annotated Code of Maryland.

     This excerpt is from the Maryland code and is not what you see on the DNR web site regs, which can
be somewhat confusing.

     So, the bottom line is, I don't see any advantage of a $15.00 boat license whatsoever. If you have the boat license, you can keep a bushel. If someone else is with you and he/she has a license, you can keep 2 bushels. If an unlicensed person is with you, keep 1 bushel.   Same goes for the individual licenses----2 licenses-----2 bushels,  1 license --- 1 bushel.  6 people on 1 boat and one has a license--1 bushel. 

[Rock Run Crabber]

The advantage to buying a boat lic. would be as long as you have 2 people on board you would be able to keep 2 bu because you actually would have 2 licenses yours and ANYONE who is with you would also be licensed.

[bassman349]

The advantage to buying a boat lic. would be as long as you have 2 people on board you would be able to keep 2 bu because you actually would have 2 licenses yours and ANYONE who is with you would also be licensed.

That is not correct.  If you have the boat license, your guest would also have to have a license in order to keep 2 bushels.  A boat license plus an unlicensed guest only allows you to keep 1 bushel.

[bassman349]

Here is the info. from DNR website.

#

    *

# CATCH LIMITS FOR A LICENSED BOAT:

    * Without any persons in the licensed boat who also possess an Individual Recreational Crabbing License;
          o 1 bushel of hard crabs
          o 2 dozen soft crabs or peelers
    * Owner of the licensed boat in the boat with unlicensed crabbers;
          o 1 bushel of hard crabs
          o 2 dozen soft crabs or peelers
    * If 2 or more licensed persons are in the licensed boat;
          o 2 bushels of hard crabs
          o 2 dozen soft crabs or peelers

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/crab/2007recreationalcrabsummary.html

[captaincrab55]

The advantage to buying a boat lic. would be as long as you have 2 people on board you would be able to keep 2 bu because you actually would have 2 licenses yours and ANYONE who is with you would also be licensed.

One learns something new here every day....

[lreops]

One learns something new here every day....

You're somewhat right, except some of the things being learned is somewhat wrong.

[Dreampixels]

The advantage to buying a boat lic. would be as long as you have 2 people on board you would be able to keep 2 bu because you actually would have 2 licenses yours and ANYONE who is with you would also be licensed.

The only advantage to a Boat License is...........Multiple people can use the boat, singularly and be covered for getting 1 bushel of crabs, the BOAT is WORTH 1 BUSHEL.......regardless IF a LICENSED person is in the boat or not, IF there is another LICENSED person in the boat, then 2 bushel max would be legal...........

Example A father, 2 sons and a grandson have access to the boat, Dad buys a boat license, Dad now has a Complimentary Crabbing license he can use off the boat (legally only when the boat is not in use- catch me if you can here). The others 2 sons and grandson MAY use that boat and are legal at catching 1 bushel of crabs because the boat is licensed. They need not be relatives, just share the boat, when the owner of the boat (the one who's name is on the complimentary license) unless there is another license on the boat 1 bushel is it, anyone else using the boat, unless there is another license on the boat the limit is one bushel......

[Rock Run Crabber]

Well put Dreampixels, yes we do learn somthing everyday here. FRED

[tugcapt]

So what about the statement from the woman at DNR posted in the other thread?  "1 Bushel + 4 doz." and "the boat license never did cover everyone in the boat", or "only handlines and dipnets" in a licensed boat for someone unlicensed? 

I agree, if you think you may have alot of unlicensed people going out with you, (more than 4 a season over 16 yrs old) it is worth the Bay Sport Boat license, it allows fishing, crabbing to 1 bushel, and trotlining for everyone on the boat, plus gives you a license to use anywhere else in the bay without the boat.

[Dreampixels]

So what about the statement from the woman at DNR posted in the other thread?  "1 Bushel + 4 doz." and "the boat license never did cover everyone in the boat", or "only handlines and dipnets" in a licensed boat for someone unlicensed? 

I agree, if you think you may have alot of unlicensed people going out with you, (more than 4 a season over 16 yrs old) it is worth the Bay Sport Boat license, it allows fishing, crabbing to 1 bushel, and trotlining for everyone on the boat, plus gives you a license to use anywhere else in the bay without the boat.

I do not wish to counter the DNR Lady. I have personally asked this question............."If I have a non licensed person with me and I am licensed can we have 1 bushel plus 4 dozen on board and be legal?"  His direct responce to me was NO, 1 bushel. On the other hand and my reason for asking that question was because a Buddy of mine got hammered for early starting and he asked that same question when he got hammered and that officer said yes, because your granddaughter is on board, you could keep 4 doz over a bushel.

Those answers came about 4 weeks apart, both asked on the Gunpowder River. Knowing this, how would you answer the question?

[Seaweed]

Wouldn't it just be much easier to just get your own personal license and never have to worry about whether you are covered?  What are we talking... $10?  You drink that away in 2 hours.  Every year its pages and pages and pages of people talking about the boat sticker, trying to find a way to keep 3 bushels, is my blind grandfather covered if he's with my 5 year old son who has a license... jesus... just pay the minimal fee and forget about it.  Its the cheapest resource you can catch.