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.12 Special Regulations for Crabbing in Worcester County
Worcester County (coastal bays) specific rules. Pots need 2-5/16" cull rings. Commercial: max 25 bushels per boat per day. Season: April 1 – October 31 commercial, April 1 – December 31 recreational. Daily window: sunrise to sunrise + 8.5 hours (April & October), extended hours May–September with holiday pre-dawn windows. No scrape fishing. Crabs can be landed out of state.
A. Crab Pot Structure. One unobstructed 2-5/16" cull ring on a side panel of the upper compartment and one 2-5/16" cull ring on a panel at the lower compartment. B. Catch Limits. Commercial: 25 bushels, 16 lugs, or 10 barrels per commercial boat daily. Recreational: 1 bushel or 6 dozen crabs per individual (if not stored in bushel), with higher limits for multi-person boats. C. Seasons. Commercial crabbing prohibited between October 31 and April 1. Recreational crabbing closes between December 31 and April 1. D. Commercial Harvesting Times. Between sunrise and 8-1/2 hours after sunrise during April and October, with extended hours May–September and special holiday provisions. E. Scrapes. Scrape fishing prohibited in Worcester County waters. F. Landing. Crabs caught in Worcester County may be landed out of the State.