North Carolina Recreational Crabbing Regs

[MagnumTRex]

Had someone ask me some questions about the crabbing regs and figured I'd post this from NCDENR.  You don't need a license to just crab but, I got one since I did some fishing too.  For the 10 bucks for a 10 day pass it was worth it.  


http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=a16f5e05-8ba1-4c34-99c8-31e5feadf9d9&groupId=38337

Recreational Crab Fishing
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries
Recreational harvest limits
 5-inch minimum size limit for males and immature females.
 6 ¾ -inch maximum size limit for females from Sept. 1-April 30
 50 crabs per day per person, not to exceed 100 crabs per vessel per day.
 Size limit is measured from tip-to-tip of the carapace
Information on how to identify male and female crabs can be found at
http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/blue-crabs
License requirements
Individuals do not need a license to set one pot per person from a private pier or shoreline, so
long as he has permission of the property owner. A private pier or shoreline means there is no
public access and does not apply to fishing piers where the public pays for fishing privileges.
Recreational harvest limits apply. Sale of catch is prohibited. No buoy or identification required.
Individuals do not need a license for chicken necking or legging. Recreational harvest limits
apply. Sale of catch is prohibited.
Individuals do not need a license to use collapsible crab traps so long as the largest open
dimension is no larger than 18 inches and the traps are designed to collapse at all times when in
the water, except when they are being retrieved from or lowered to the bottom. Recreational
harvest limits apply. Sale of catch is prohibited.
Otherwise, a Recreational Commercial Gear License (RCGL) is required.
License cost
 $35 for N.C. Residents
 $250 for non-residents
 A person who is under 16 years of age may fish with authorized gear without a
license if he is accompanied by a licensed parent, grandparent or guardian
 Recreational harvest limits apply
 Seafood harvested under this license may not be sold
RCGL crab pot requirements
 Maximum of 5 crab pots, with or without a vessel
 Pots must be marked with one hot pink buoy, attached to a non-floating line, that
identifies the owner. The identification must be either engraved on the buoy or on
engraved metal or plastic tags attached to the buoy. Identification must include
one of the following: the owner's last name and initials or gear owner's current
motor boat registration number, or (2) owner's US vessel documentation name.
 The pots must be fished at least every 5 days
 The pots may not be fished at night
 Peeler pots may not be used
Other regulations pertaining to crab pots
 Pots must be removed from North Carolina coastal waters between Jan. 15 and Feb. 7
 Pots may not be set in prohibited pot areas. Maps of designated pot areas may be
downloaded at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/designated-pot-areas
A RCGL is required to use a multi-bait or multi-hook trotline
 Maximum one line per person
 Line may be no longer than 100 feet
For information on North Carolina's marine resources, check out the N.C. Division of Marine
Fisheries' website at http://portal.ncdenr.org/web/mf/home or by telephone at 800-682-2632 or
P.O. Box 769, Morehead City, NC 28557.
6/26/12

[ChrisS]

Wow, 250 for non residents.

5 pots and 100' trot line, sounds like md needs to get with the times

[genecrabman]

Wow, 250 for non residents.

5 pots and 100' trot line, sounds like md needs to get with the times

I can't believe OweMally knows about this!

[gdhdcx]

Somebody has to pay for the Maryland DNR, its a big beaurocrecy.

[LKNGreg]

Thanks for the information.  Heading to Duck, NC staying on the sound and was planning on bringing a jon boat to crab from in the Currituck. 

To confirm, in NC as a state resident to go crabbing with a Jon boat, using non collapsible pots I need to purchase a Res Rec Comm Gear License for $71 that lets me use 5 pots.  That and I need to buy pink buoys for these pots? 

Otherwise limited to one pot from shore or a pier? 

OUCH, may have to think about some other past time on vacation. 

Appreciate any feedback.   

Best,
Greg   

[gsan]

Can you update these Regs in light of 2020 amendments?  https://deq.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2020/04/17/new-blue-crab-management-measures-implemented#:~:text=New%20blue%20crab%20management%20measures%20will%20go%20into,Management%20Plan%20Amendment%203%20at%20its%20February%20meeting.

I'm traveling to the area in 2022 and have private dock access off Sunset Beach.  I'm not sure if I'm permitted to trap from the dock given a permanent closure proclamation, unless I'm interpreting it correctly that that only applies to commercial equipment.

[vw_buggsy]

The rules are a little confusing. I tried to figure out what they were going for here and I couldn't fully understand it either.

It looks like they haven't changed the recreational rules and that setting one pot without license is still fine. I'd think by definition then that one pot would be considered recreational equipment and not subject to what I agree seems to be geared toward commercial fishing. NC also has these "Designated pot areas" too which further confuse me.

I did find one article:
https://coastalreview.org/2020/04/new-blue-crab-management-rules-to-begin/

That references a contact point though:
"For more information, contact division biologist Corrin Flora at 252-264-3911."

Maybe call the contact and ask? Or contact NC Wildlife:
https://www.ncwildlife.org/Contacts

At the very least as an out of towner I'd hope you'd be able to get off with warning if you get caught the for the first time 

I'm heading out to Topsail Beach the first week of August but we're staying in a house on the ocean side. I'm planning on bringing some ring nets and maybe a couple of collapsible traps and hitting a couple of public piers on the sound/ICW side. Those fall under recreational "chicken necking" gear which seem to only be limited by catch size and quantity, so at the very least I think you could use traps and ring nets if you can't set your pot.