Culling requirement

Started by Jim Bright, September 22, 2024, 03:40:40 PM

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Jim Bright

Does anyone know the statute or regulation that states the definition of "possession" as opposed to holding crabs in a cullbox prior to sorting? I searched the forum and didn't come up with anything definitive.

My understanding is that if I am commercial and the crab is not in a legal container, like a bushel basket, I'm not in possession because I haven't culled the crabs yet. But that's just always the way I thought it worked. I don't see that language in statute or reg anywhere. Just can't find it.

Not sure how NRP goes about enforcing this on the commercial side, or for recs, especially with the new container laws.




Wallco99

Yeah, I was wondering that too. Usually once we fill up, we continue crabbing for a bit to try and swap out some of our smaller crabs for larger ones if necessary. At that point, I am throwing back the exact number we keep each run. But before sorting each run, I am technically "over the limit" until I throw them back. The crabs to be sorted are in a large metal pan in my boat, and after each run, the crabs are sorted and the necessary ones are picked out of our keeper basket and returned to sea.

As I said, this is how I do it. It doesn't mean it's allowed or disallowed.
Trump!!!

Logical1

It is kind of a grey area. I have one basket that I use for keepers and a different basket that use for pre culled. DNR has only checked my keepers.
There's no place like roam!

Jim Bright

Right, I think we all mostly have a cull box of some sort. 

Ever see the cull/posession language in Comar or the statute?  


Logical1

Quote from: Jim Bright on September 22, 2024, 05:14:00 PMRight, I think we all mostly have a cull box of some sort.

Ever see the cull/posession language in Comar or the statute? 


Until you get a chance to cull, you could have female or smalls. I try to dump them if I knowingly see them, but sometimes I get multiple crabs in a trap and dump them all in my cull basket. Of course they get discarded during culling and do not go into my keepers basket.
There's no place like roam!

A D V E R T I S E M E N T



Harford Crabber

They all go in a cull box as being caught then I cull after each run. When I'm catching good, like this time of year I put em in 2 separate baskets. The under 6s & lights in separate basket from the over 6s & heavies. When the baskets get over half full I dump the under 6s back so I don't have over a full basket in the boat.  ie, I cull as I'm going along.    Pulling those little ones out of basket with big ones mixed in it can be a job, especially in the fall when they like to cling to each other.    I suspect a lot of people do the same?
I love to fish, but I live to crab.

Crabslayer

Quote from: Jim Bright on September 22, 2024, 03:40:40 PMDoes anyone know the statute or regulation that states the definition of "possession" as opposed to holding crabs in a cullbox prior to sorting? I searched the forum and didn't come up with anything definitive.

My understanding is that if I am commercial and the crab is not in a legal container, like a bushel basket, I'm not in possession because I haven't culled the crabs yet. But that's just always the way I thought it worked. I don't see that language in statute or reg anywhere. Just can't find it.

Not sure how NRP goes about enforcing this on the commercial side, or for recs, especially with the new container laws.




Mr. DNR poleeceman made me stop mid run and empty my cull box. Said I had too many crab in my box. I always called after a string of pots.  I can't help it I'm a successful crabber. ;D
This is how it's going to go.  After I kick your A$$ i'm going to run you through the wood chipper and put you in containers in the freezer to use in my crab pots!  The really sad part?  You let an old man kick your A$$!!!

Wallco99

Quote from: Harford Crabber on September 28, 2024, 11:17:02 AMThey all go in a cull box as being caught then I cull after each run. When I'm catching good, like this time of year I put em in 2 separate baskets. The under 6s & lights in separate basket from the over 6s & heavies. When the baskets get over half full I dump the under 6s back so I don't have over a full basket in the boat.  ie, I cull as I'm going along.    Pulling those little ones out of basket with big ones mixed in it can be a job, especially in the fall when they like to cling to each other.    I suspect a lot of people do the same?
Yes. Multi baskets is the only way to go.
Trump!!!

Jim Bright

Old thread but slow around here so figured I'd post the Potomac regs.

This is PRFC's definition of both Possession and Culling Container:
Possession - Any crab not in a culling container shall be deemed to be in possession.
Culling Container.  Each vessel shall be equipped with one and only one crab culling container, which shall not be a basket or barrel. 

I've heard of people getting tickets for possessing undersized crabs because they were using more than one culling container and the NRP considered those crabs in the crabber's possession. Since there is not a definition of "possession" in the MDNR regs they default to the dictionary definition of the word. 

I'm tempted to use more than one container sometimes. The way my rig is set up I can't cull while I'm running the line so I burn time culling after runs and I miss out on that hot morning run. I envy those guys with the auto dippers. I watch them cull the crabs and also bait the line up for the next day while their dipper is filling up with crabs. Now that's working smarter!


Mr. Ray III

Quote from: Jim Bright on January 30, 2025, 02:37:40 PMOld thread but slow around here so figured I'd post the Potomac regs.

This is PRFC's definition of both Possession and Culling Container:
Possession - Any crab not in a culling container shall be deemed to be in possession.
Culling Container.  Each vessel shall be equipped with one and only one crab culling container, which shall not be a basket or barrel.

I've heard of people getting tickets for possessing undersized crabs because they were using more than one culling container and the NRP considered those crabs in the crabber's possession. Since there is not a definition of "possession" in the MDNR regs they default to the dictionary definition of the word.

I'm tempted to use more than one container sometimes. The way my rig is set up I can't cull while I'm running the line so I burn time culling after runs and I miss out on that hot morning run. I envy those guys with the auto dippers. I watch them cull the crabs and also bait the line up for the next day while their dipper is filling up with crabs. Now that's working smarter!


Get a dipper.  Netting crabs is fun and it never gets old but seeing crabs drop in a dipper puts a big smile on my face.  Even bigger when count 20 crabs and then there's 24 when you dump it out.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T



Jim Bright

I'd guess 75 percent of the commercial guys i see out there are using dippers. I took one off my last boat and stopped using it. I may go back to it one day. 

A D V E R T I S E M E N T