Bay Sport Fishing License versus Recreational Crabbing Boat License

[crabby_jake]

I'm confused by the advantages/disadvantages of the Bay Sport License versus the Recreational Crabbing Boat License.  What is the advantage of a recreational crabbing license?  I'm confused becase it seems you get the same benefits if you buy a standard Recreational Crabbing License and it is $10 cheaper.  The Bay Sport License comes with a complimentary recreational crabbing license so why would you ever buy the Recreation Crabbing Boat License if you also planned to fish?  I feel like I'm missing something here.  Can y'all fill me in?

[Dreampixels]

MHO - if you plan to Fish and Crab - the Bay Sport License is the way to go.

[flounderpounder]

I bought the $50 bay sport and a seperate $10 crabbing license...passengers should be able to use the boat sticker and I can use my seperately purchased rec license for the second...Im tryin that grey area this year...

[Dreampixels]

I bought the $50 bay sport and a seperate $10 crabbing license...passengers should be able to use the boat sticker and I can use my seperately purchased rec license for the second...Im tryin that grey area this year...

Good Luck - the Offical Answer I got from the DNR was no way hoser - but it will all be in the hands of the man in the field.

[IH8JEEP]

I bought the $50 bay sport and a seperate $10 crabbing license...passengers should be able to use the boat sticker and I can use my seperately purchased rec license for the second...Im tryin that grey area this year...

I'm pretty sure it has changed this year. I used to buy the bay sticker so everybody could crab on the boat. I bought the crab boat sticker for $15 this year. Pounder I think you need to get the $15 boat sticker if you have someone else crabbing in the boat without a license. The bay sticker only covers the owner crabbing now.

Regester the boat in someones name other than you(wifey,son,ect.) buy a $15 boat sticker in there name and a $10 rec.in your name =2 bushel who ever in boat for $30 in license.

[IH8JEEP]

I'm confused by the advantages/disadvantages of the Bay Sport License versus the Recreational Crabbing Boat License.  What is the advantage of a recreational crabbing license?  I'm confused becase it seems you get the same benefits if you buy a standard Recreational Crabbing License and it is $10 cheaper.  The Bay Sport License comes with a complimentary recreational crabbing license so why would you ever buy the Recreation Crabbing Boat License if you also planned to fish?  I feel like I'm missing something here.  Can y'all fill me in?

The bay sticker only covers the owner crabbing now not everybody. If you want everybody fishing and crabbing in the boat you need the $50 bay and the $15 crabbing boat sticker.

[bassman349]

All people crabbing on a boat do not have to be licensed. I can take an unlicensed guest and he is covered under my license, but there is the one bushel limit. I found those details in COMAR. 08.02.03.09 (D)(5)

The $15.00 boat license is just about useless. To me  the only advantage is that someone else can use your boat for crabbing and be covered by the boat license. Since I never lend my boat out, I just get the $5.00 license and accomplish the same thing.

And for Crabby_Jake, the $50.00 Bay Sport that comes with the complimentary crab license is tailor made for those that mostly fish. A person can take up to 5 guests on their boat and the guests will not need fishing licenses.

[Whaler1965]

MHO - if you plan to Fish and Crab - the Bay Sport License is the way to go.

AGREE!

[bassman349]

AGREE!

What works for some may not work for others.  I usually fish and crab by myself, so I could buy the $50.00 boat sticker that would cover both, or, I can get a fishing license for 15 bucks and crabbing license for an additional 2 bucks.  Occasionally I have a guest while fishing, so the guest just has to spend his own 15 bucks for a license.  However, if I had multiple guests, or kids, wife , etc. all going fishing, then the boat sticker is a good idea.

[Dreampixels]

Dems sum good thunkins.........

[Whaler1965]

What works for some may not work for others.  I usually fish and crab by myself, so I could buy the $50.00 boat sticker that would cover both, or, I can get a fishing license for 15 bucks and crabbing license for an additional 2 bucks.  Occasionally I have a guest while fishing, so the guest just has to spend his own 15 bucks for a license.  However, if I had multiple guests, or kids, wife , etc. all going fishing, then the boat sticker is a good idea.

I'm too lazy to think about all of that...    I buy one sticker for the boat and I'm done....  oh - also buy a rec license for my boy so that we can keep 2bshl for parties and such. Plus i take friends out to fish...

[madmarty]

IH8JEEP IS CORRECT YOU MUST IN FACT HAVE BOTH STICKERS ON BOAT IF YOU WANT TO TAKE PEOPLE WITH YOU THAT DONT HAVE A LISCENSE THIS CAME RIGHT FROM THE GIRLS AT CENTREVILLE DNR OFFICE ITS ALSO IN BOLD PRINT ON DNR WEBSITE LISCENSE SECTION

[double E]

I have the bay sport lic. on my boat and was stopped last fall, and he asked my father for his crabbing lic. I asked him why he needed a crab lic. if my boat was lic. His answer was that anyone on the boat while crabbing with a 1200 ft line needs a crab lic. or boat crabbing lic. Since he does have one and everything went well I decided to not ? it. The way I thought it was is that if the boat was covered under the bay sport that anyone could crab with me even without a lic. just couldn't keep more than 1 bushel.

[Whaler1965]

I have the bay sport lic. on my boat and was stopped last fall, and he asked my father for his crabbing lic. I asked him why he needed a crab lic. if my boat was lic. His answer was that anyone on the boat while crabbing with a 1200 ft line needs a crab lic. or boat crabbing lic. Since he does have one and everything went well I decided to not ? it. The way I thought it was is that if the boat was covered under the bay sport that anyone could crab with me even without a lic. just couldn't keep more than 1 bushel.

if you have a boat lic as long as you don't take more than 1 bushel, you can have 10 people on your boat crabbing without a lic

[Mikie]

Bassman posted the comar numbers above - should pretty much cover it.

[bassman349]

Bassman posted the comar numbers above - should pretty much cover it.

Here's the exact wording from COMAR, which is the State Law. Trouble is, we can't always count on all of the DNR Officers being familiar with the state law.  Might not hurt for some that have a boat sticker, or individual license and are taking an unlicensed guest crabbing to just print a copy and keep it on the boat.  It is MD COMAR, subtitle 2, section 08.02.03.09, sub-section D. Now, fishing is a different story---everyone needs a license (adult) or the boat needs to be licensed. 

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 08.02.01.07C 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.

[IH8JEEP]

So what does this mean?? I take this as other people on the boat can't help me crabbing if the bay sticker is in my name.

Consolidated Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Boat License allows everyone on board a vessel used for pleasure to fish in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and the state waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Atlantic coastal bays and tributaries in lieu of individual licenses. However, these individuals must register with the Department (see below). A special complimentary Bay & Coastal sport fishing license, which includes recreational crabbing, will be issued to the boat owner purchasing this license. The $50 Chesapeake Bay Sport Fishing Decal is NOT valid as a Recreational Crabbing Boat License (though the purchaser of this decal is given one complimentary individual recreational crabbing license).

[Whaler1965]

The $50 Chesapeake Bay Sport Fishing Decal is NOT valid as a Recreational Crabbing Boat License (though the purchaser of this decal is given one complimentary individual recreational crabbing license).[/color]
[/quote]

The way I see it is, if I have a boat license, I can have anyone on my boat crabbing with me and as long as we don't take more than 1 bushel, we are good to go...That's the way I've been doing it. Like I said, I will get my son a license so that we can keep 2 bushel if needed...

[bassman349]

The $50 Chesapeake Bay Sport Fishing Decal is NOT valid as a Recreational Crabbing Boat License (though the purchaser of this decal is given one complimentary individual recreational crabbing license).[/color]


The way I see it is, if I have a boat license, I can have anyone on my boat crabbing with me and as long as we don't take more than 1 bushel, we are good to go...That's the way I've been doing it. Like I said, I will get my son a license so that we can keep 2 bushel if needed...

Whaler, you are correct.  The $50.00 license gives you a portable crab license, which you can use on your own boat or someone else's boat. The $15.00 sticker is pretty much useless unless someone uses your boat, then the boat license would cover them for crabbing.  And, the rule of thumb is, 2 bushels will need 2 licenses.


IH8JEEP,  read the comar paragraphs again. The section that I posted are exemptions from a crab license, which includes people onboard a boat that has a boat crabbing license or an individual license. In other words, if you have a boat, and you have a crabbing license, and you take a guest, the guest is not required to have a crabbing license, but your crab limit will be 1 bushel. The guest can catch crabs like a madman and still be covered by your license as long as you observe the 1 bushel limit. If your guest has a license, then the limit is 2 bushels.  If you have a boat license for crabbing, that counts as 1 license.  Now all this applies to the use of a trotline or more than 10 traps.  Less than 10 traps, nobody needs a license, but your catch limit is right small. Hope this helps. The MD law is about as clear as mud most of the time. I know that the DNR website posts a summary of the regs., but, it is just a summary and doesn't always include some of the finer points. That's why I consult the COMAR regs. and the Annotated code for the details.

Additionally, if the crabs don't start showing up soon, none of this stuff will matter anyway. I'll be busy trying to catch trophy toadfish instead of crabbing.  

Crabby_Jake, since you had the original post, let us know if you've lived through all of this and also if you were able to get a crab license for less than $5000.00.   

[IH8JEEP]

Bassman I think you are right. I'm still trying to understand why the law is so unclear. Maybe its just unclear to me and a couple others

The law says one thing but means another wait a minute were these laws written by lawyers and politicians now I understand

[bassman349]

Bassman I think you are right. I'm still trying to understand why the law is so unclear. Maybe its just unclear to me and a couple others

The law says one thing but means another wait a minute were these laws written by lawyers and politicians now I understand

  Me thinks you have hit the nail on the head. 

[crabby_jake]

I appreciate all the responses.  I thought the regulations and the COMAR were pretty clear but I just can't understand the benefit of the recreational crabbing boat license.  Because of all the confusion, I posed several questions to the DNR and will post their response if I receive a reply.

[flounderpounder]

so I have 2 seperate licenses apparently....lol  sounds like 2 bushels to me..

[registereduser]

i put both stickers on the boat, makes it easier to identify and dont need to show a license card,
whats ironic is i wont catch $50 in fish all year, the crab license pays for itself in one run.

[homebrewing]

i put both stickers on the boat, makes it easier to identify

Besides, It just looks cool having a crab sticker on your boat!