2023 rec. crab limits.

Crabslayer · February 21, 2023, 11:08:15 AM

I'm so glad I crab in Indonesia where there's no regulations or licenses. Plus Phillips buys my catch and sends the crab meat to you guys back in Maryland!

vw_buggsy · February 22, 2023, 04:53:21 PM

https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Documents/Public_Notices/PubNot_ChesapeakeBayRecreationalHardCrabCatch_PossessionLimits-April-June-2023.pdf

The one bushel per boat limit continues through 2023 (no surprise).

shtoong · February 22, 2023, 04:55:35 PM

That link does not work. Where did you find this? As I said before I'm not against the amendment. I barely ever need more than a bushel. My issue is that if the amendment is that hard to find why even impose it? You know recs will be taking two bushels all day long if they don't see the change.

vw_buggsy · February 22, 2023, 05:00:41 PM

I'm on the dnr mailing list.

Sorry the link was from the email "click here to view this in a browser" and guess that's not a real site

You can find it in the dnr notices page:

https://dnr.maryland.gov/Fisheries/Pages/Pub_Notices.aspx

Under blue crab

shtoong · February 22, 2023, 05:18:23 PM

Thanks Buggsy. The link now works and I finally able to find it on their site after digging around a bit. I suppose they will post this more clearly as the season gets underway. Or maybe not..... a lot of money in fines to be made by MDNR for a crabberman's ignorance

Mr. Breeze · February 23, 2023, 03:30:41 AM

Quote from: vw_buggsy on February 22, 2023, 04:53:21 PM
https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Documents/Public_Notices/PubNot_ChesapeakeBayRecreationalHardCrabCatch_PossessionLimits-April-June-2023.pdf

The one bushel per boat limit continues through 2023 (no surprise).

only thru June which is after this year's dredge survey is revealed and the advisory committee has a chance to recommend something new. The limits for the remainder of 2023 will be announced in sometime before June 30

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MDDNR/bulletins/34a731a

vw_buggsy · February 23, 2023, 09:05:29 AM

Quoteonly thru June which is after this year's dredge survey is revealed and the advisory committee has a chance to recommend something new. The limits for the remainder of 2023 will be announced in sometime before June 30

Of course! I think we all knew when the 1 bushel limit was enacted that it was unlikely to increase again any time soon. It's not super likely that the government decreases a limit on the catch then actually increases it again later. I guess it might happen if dredge numbers ever really go up again to healthy levels. I think it's a lot more likely that they'll drop the limit again in the future than raise it. Really I'm just hoping that the 1 bushel limit will at least hold for a few years.

Buggsy

rdbeard · February 23, 2023, 09:30:03 AM

commercial crabbers and fishermen know all to well that once a new rule or limit is enacted it has never been reversed or removed, even when it has no effect or improvement on a fishery. welcome to our world of what dnr calls managment.

Harford Crabber · February 25, 2023, 04:06:41 PM

Just reading this and trying to remember any year I've seen over a bushel of crabs on any recreational boat before July... certainly no boat I've ever been on. Sure it can happen, but it's a rare occurrence indeed. But like most others here, I won't be surprised if they keep the bushel limit all year.

Wallco99 · February 25, 2023, 05:08:00 PM

Quote from: Harford Crabber on February 25, 2023, 04:06:41 PM
Just reading this and trying to remember any year I've seen over a bushel of crabs on any recreational boat before July... certainly no boat I've ever been on. Sure it can happen, but it's a rare occurrence indeed. But like most others here, I won't be surprised if they keep the bushel limit all year.

Just checked my logs. Mid-June of both 2020 & 2021, we were getting our 2 bushel limits. 2021 slowed down a little in July, but picked back up again in August. 2020 stayed hot all the way through. I only got out twice last year, and that was in August and September.

Harford Crabber · February 26, 2023, 07:13:37 PM

Well Wallco... I just realized my buddy and I usually quit when we get a couple dozen apiece. Sometimes we're done in couple hours, other days we quit at noon without 2 dozen each. I guess we could get more if we needed more and were willing to work at it longer. (We're both old and lazy)

Actually I looked at last year records and on June 3rd I had about 50 crabs after 3 hours of kayak crabbing with Jack-Logical 1. Jack's definitely not lazy! He had about the same amount, Could have easily gotten a bushel each that day but we both decided we had plenty. Jack,
if you read this, thanks again for taking me to your "special" spot. That day was definitely an adventure.

Logical1 · February 26, 2023, 08:16:34 PM

Quote from: Harford Crabber on February 26, 2023, 07:13:37 PM
Well Wallco... I just realized my buddy and I usually quit when we get a couple dozen apiece. Sometimes we're done in couple hours, other days we quit at noon without 2 dozen each. I guess we could get more if we needed more and were willing to work at it longer. (We're both old and lazy)

Actually I looked at last year records and on June 3rd I had about 50 crabs after 3 hours of kayak crabbing with Jack-Logical 1. Jack's definitely not lazy! He had about the same amount, Could have easily gotten a bushel each that day but we both decided we had plenty. Jack,
if you read this, thanks again for taking me to your "special" spot. That day was definitely an adventure.

Glad you had a good time. I have learned not to take more than Heather and I need. I just enjoy getting out there.

Wallco99 · February 26, 2023, 08:58:49 PM

Quote from: Logical1 on February 26, 2023, 08:16:34 PM
Glad you had a good time. I have learned not to take more than Heather and I need. I just enjoy getting out there.

Yeah, you can do that when you live five minutes from water. But when you only get out once a week, and spend hours driving to and from the water, you take ALL you can get, and you don't feel bad about it.

Logical1 · February 26, 2023, 09:27:23 PM

Quote from: Wallco99 on February 26, 2023, 08:58:49 PM
Yeah, you can do that when you live five minutes from water. But when you only get out once a week, and spend hours driving to and from the water, you take ALL you can get, and you don't feel bad about it.

You are only taking what you can legally take, no reason to feel bad about that at all. The trip Herman is talking about was 1 -1/2 hours from home. But yes, living close to water does change my perspective. I could get a bushel, but we can't eat that much. So I settle for 1/2 a bushel and go more often. If I have others coming over I go ahead and get a bushel.

Wallco99 · February 27, 2023, 06:34:49 AM

I do envy that. Love to live closer.

Logical1 · February 27, 2023, 08:01:52 AM

Quote from: Wallco99 on February 27, 2023, 06:34:49 AM
I do envy that. Love to live closer.

That is what Adam used to say. He said I was so lucky to live right in the middle of all of it. I told him he has to remember that when I was growing up, if I walked out of my back door and to the end of my back yard, I was standing on the banks of the Marshyhope in Federalsburg. I guess I am guilty of taking it for granted.

rdbeard · February 27, 2023, 12:45:06 PM

Rick please don't move here because if you do we would have to change what we call Maryland, the land of pleasant living and btw high taxes

partime59 · February 27, 2023, 03:24:58 PM

walking to the boat in the early am sure beats driving anywere

Wallco99 · February 27, 2023, 05:54:21 PM

Quote from: rdbeard on February 27, 2023, 12:45:06 PM
Rick please don't move here because if you do we would have to change what we call Maryland, the land of pleasant living and btw high taxes

LOL. [dang]!!!! OK, Steve, I'll comply. But I hate PA though, and pretty sure that me and you are on the same political page in life. At least I HOPE I can count on the bikers. LOL.

Harford Crabber · February 27, 2023, 07:09:13 PM

For Jack it was 1 1/2 hour ride. For me, on this trip it was a little further. I left home at 12:30am and arrived at boat ramp at 4:00 am. Jack got there a few minutes after me and after we got our kayaks in the water we made the 1 1/2 hour or so trek to the preferred crabbing spot. I have a trolling motor for propulsion cuz I'm lazy. Jack was paddling. He's not lazy. I towed an extra kayak with a spare battery for trolling motor and trotline crabbing gear. Jack caught same amount of crabs with traps. When I saw Jack's catch I kinda wished I had left the trotline and extra kayak at home. We had a 10 mph or so wind that day. Thank goodness we were not in open water.. When we first got to crabbing area I misjudged distance and only had about 2/3 of my 600' line out when I reached the other shore. I didnt wanna cut the line, wish I had now. While pulling line back in I had to literally shake about 20 crabs off the baits. Could have dipped em but had no place to put them on my small kayak. After resetting the line I put first crab in culltub at 6:30am. By 8:30am crabs had obliterated all baits on the line so I pulled it up and joined Jack with the traps. That place had the hungriest crabs I've ever seen. It was a long day but well worth it. One of those crabbing trips I'll remember forever. Thanks again Jack for putting up with me and although I never knew Adam I wish i had. He crabbed this place many times with about the same amount of travel time as I had. He had to be quite a dedicated crabber!
Wow this is a long post, sorry.