Female soft crab

[Crab Buzzard]

As a rec crabber are we aloud to keep female soft crabs ?

[Crabbyd]

As a rec crabber are we aloud to keep female soft crabs ?

yes.

[Crabbygene]

As a rec crabber are we aloud to keep female soft crabs ?

Yes 3 1/2"

[bluecrab]

Yes 3 1/2"

is that 3.5" minimum or no more than?

Hrmm I am confused because I know I asked this same question before but could not find it on search.
I thought as a REC I could not keep ANY females at all.
Looking at the regs i do not see where it states I can :-(.



Blue

[KI Crabber]

is that 3.5" minimum or no more than?

Hrmm I am confused because I know I asked this same question before but could not find it on search.
I thought as a REC I could not keep ANY females at all.
Looking at the regs i do not see where it states I can :-(.



Blue

As of last year we were allowed to keep female softcrabs with a minimum size of 3.5". I don't know if the 2012 regs are out yet. Double check as MD DNR has been known to add or delete regs from year to year.

[Mr. Breeze]

  http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/Gear-Specific-Laws/Blue-Crab-Laws.pdf


 08.02.03.10 Recreational Crabbing Catch and Possession Limits—Chesapeake Bay and its Tidal
Tributaries.
A. A daily catch limit of a maximum of 2 bushels of male hard crabs, and 2 dozen soft crabs or male peeler crabs or a combination
of 2 dozen soft crabs and male peeler crabs, may be caught and possessed if:
(1) Two or more individuals licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes are on a boat, regardless of whether the boat is
licensed by the Department as a recreational crabbing boat; or
(2) Two or more individuals are on a boat and one individual is licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes and in addition the
boat is licensed by the Department as a recreational crabbing boat.
B. A daily catch limit of a maximum of 1 bushel of male hard crabs, and 2 dozen soft crabs or male peeler crabs or a combination
of 2 dozen soft crabs and male peeler crabs, may be caught and possessed if:
(1) An individual on shore is licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes;
(2) An individual is licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes with either an individual crab license or a recreational
crabbing boat decal which authorizes one individual to crab from the boat to which the decal is affixed;
(3) There is no individual licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes aboard a boat licensed by the Department as a
recreational crabbing boat; or
(4) A commercially licensed individual is recreationally crabbing as described in Regulation .03E of this chapter.
C. A daily catch limit of a maximum of 2 dozen male hard crabs, and 1 dozen soft crabs or male peeler crabs or a combination of 1
dozen soft crabs and male peeler crabs, may be caught and possessed if:
(1) An individual is not licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes;
(2) An individual is exempted or registered with the Department to crab recreationally as described in Regulation .09 of this
chapter; or
(3) A seine is used, regardless of the number of licensed or unlicensed individuals.
D. If there is no individual licensed to catch crabs for recreational purposes aboard a boat not licensed by the Department as a
recreational crabbing boat or one or more individuals exempted or registered with the Department to crab recreationally as
described in Regulation .09 of this chapter aboard a boat:
(1) The daily catch limit is 4 dozen male hard crabs per boat; and
(2) The maximum number of soft crabs and male peeler crabs per boat is 1 dozen soft crabs or male peeler crabs or a combination
of 1 dozen soft crabs and male peeler crabs per day.
E. Female Hard Crabs and Female Peelers.
(1) Except as provided in §E(2) of this regulation, an individual may not catch or possess female hard crabs or female peelers.

[KI Crabber]

^^^These are last years regs.^^^ They may or may not hold up in 2012.

[Krabbers2]

KI Crabber is right MD is famous for changing its mind
 

[BowMovements]

Rare to catch one in a trap or a trotline.  I got a question though.  I'm not a rec but what if a rec catches a female buster in a trap or a line?  where do the regs fall on that.  Just for information purposes...  I can imagine it would be a nice bonus to bust one out on the boat after pullin traps in 90 degre heat.  LOL  you know what i mean...  We get them in our pots all the time.  BUt the rare instance a rec would get one I cant see the harm.  Maybe a gray area?? or is a hard crab hard no matter the circumstances?  Probably up to officer discretion.

[Krabbers2]

BowMotion - females ALL go back !

[tugcapt]

I got three female soft crabs last year that were doublers with male hard crabs, all in topless traps. I still have one in the freezer, about 5" long.

I think a peerler is still a peeler. I would throw back a buster unless it was male.

[tugcapt]

BowMotion - females ALL go back !

Throwing a female buster or softcrab back after catching one is like feeding the fish. Chances are it won't make it to the bottom. If it does, it still may not live.

[BowMovements]

BowMotion - females ALL go back !

Not all.  I dont usually keep them but I get an order about 4 or five times a year for a bu. of sooks.  Also fill my peeler box up for a buck a piece. male or female

[BowMovements]

BowMotion - females ALL go back !

BowMovements

[soggybottomboyz]

Throwing a female buster or softcrab back after catching one is like feeding the fish. Chances are it won't make it to the bottom. If it does, it still may not live.

I throw mine back close to shore in some grass or other debris.

[flounderpounder]

I throw mine back close to shore in some grass or other debris.

I throw mine in the livewell   I have shed plenty while crabbing the rest of the day..not too uncommon for a rec..I've had days with upwards of 20 peelers/buusters/softies in a 4 hour set.

[jack1747]

Throwing a female buster or softcrab back after catching one is like feeding the fish. Chances are it won't make it to the bottom. If it does, it still may not live.

I'm not sure of that.  In just a little amount of time, dem softies are ready to fight... If they are not in the mush stage, they are ready to fight.  But, yes they don't have their armour yet. But they are ready to put on a good bluff..

[tugcapt]

I'm not sure of that.  In just a little amount of time, dem softies are ready to fight... If they are not in the mush stage, they are ready to fight.  But, yes they don't have their armour yet. But they are ready to put on a good bluff..

I got one that was on the paper side of soft, good for bait, but it could just barely move it's swim fins, not much fight, so I threw it in the cooler and froze it. I ate it last month thinking it was one of the softies. Then I found the last softie in the back of the freezer. 

The last time I caught a female buster, with it's shell open a little, was a few years ago. We got two in one day and one was a mature female. One had a small male with it. I really wish I would have kept the mature female to show everyone, but we threw it back because it was female.

[jack1747]

They can move pretty fast in the water after about a half hour or so....

[rdbeard]

a female peeler that has started out of it's shell- buster is still a hard shell and DNR would frown on possesing. Thrown back they would be found and scooped up and cradled by the first jimmy to catch her smell which takes a very short time.

[Krabbers2]

@ Flounderpounder  - we are only rec crabbers and have regular jobs so never so lucky to get more than two or so a SEASON on a trot line, I covet them in my cooler with sodas for a dinner later !!!   

[Crabslayer]

Rare to catch one in a trap or a trotline. 

 

[Krabbers2]

Didn't I just say that??

[flounderpounder]

@ Flounderpounder  - we are only rec crabbers and have regular jobs so never so lucky to get more than two or so a SEASON on a trot line, I covet them in my cooler with sodas for a dinner later !!!   

im only a rec too    I work...not alot.. but I work...