Delawares Regulatory Definition of a Crab Pot

[DECrabbing]

Good Day Ladies and Gents,

My wife is really into crabbing. When we go to Cape Henlopen to do some fishing, she usually drops about 6 to 8 ring nets in. Since the horseshoe crabs are bad this year in terms of jumping into our ring nets, our nets have begun to warp and get fairly beat up. So, I decided to upgrade her ring nets to some skookum promar 36 inch ring net. My wife asked me a question that I am unsure. Are our ring nets considered pots? Only reason I ask is these pots have a little white floating boui at the end of the string. Can someone help me out on what IS considered a crab pot vs what isn't. I dont want to drop 6 big ring nets out and get my hands slapped by DENREC. The nets are always tended to every 15mins or so while I fish.


I've read and re-read the Crab Regs and it just says "pots." No real clear definition of what that covers.

Thank you ahead of time for your informative amswers!!!

-Jon

[Mr. Breeze]

Look here for the definition of a crab pot in Delaware

https://delcode.delaware.gov/title7/c019/index.html

(3) "Crab pot" means a cube shaped wire device that contains opening or openings toward the inside for the entrance and capture of crabs without the assistance of any manually exerted tension to any closing mechanism.

[jmjral]

So if I were to make a round or oval trap rather than a cube it would not be a [curd] pot?

[DECrabbing]

Thanks for this info.  We did cast out all 6 yesterday and had some success.  Good to know the definition is spelled out. Also, not all crab pots are cube, seems like the definition is out dated as you can get traps that are cylindrical, pyramidal, trapezoidal, etc...


-Jon