<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".01" citation="COMAR 08.02.03.01" title_num="08" subtitle_num="02" chapter_num="03" heading="Crabbing Gear.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Lawful Gear.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>A person may catch crabs in the tidal waters of Maryland only with the gear authorized in this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Diving Apparatus. A person may not possess or catch crabs in the tidal waters of Maryland using diving apparatus by itself, or in conjunction with any of the other methods authorized in this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Gear designated to catch crabs and defined in this chapter, except for a seine, is not considered a net under the definition listed in COMAR 08.02.05.02.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Recreational Gear — Definitions.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The gear defined in this section may be used to catch crabs for recreational purposes.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Bushel” means a:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Circular container with the following inside dimensions:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>18 inches top diameter;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>13-1/2 inches bottom diameter; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>12 inches height; or</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Rectangular container with the following inside dimensions:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>11 inches height;</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>19½ inches length; and</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(iii)">
          <text>12½ inches width.</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Collapsible crab trap” means a manually operated, portable device:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Having a flat bottom not more than 20 inches by 15 inches, and not more than four articulated sides; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Designed so that failure to apply manually exerted tension on the closing mechanism allows the crabs to escape.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>“Crab net ring” means a manually operated, portable device that:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Consists of:</text>
        <paragraph num="(i)">
          <text>Two rings, each of a different diameter, connected by netting, where the larger of the two rings shall be less than or equal to 30 inches in diameter; or</text>
        </paragraph>
        <paragraph num="(ii)">
          <text>One ring that shall be less than or equal to 30 inches in diameter, connected to netting;</text>
        </paragraph>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>When baited and lowered to the bottom, lies flat on the bottom; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>When pulled to the surface, forms a deep pocket out of the netting.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Crab pot” means a cube-shaped or rectangular shaped device with openings toward the inside for the entrance of crabs.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>“Dip net” means a mesh bag of netting or wire which is suspended from a circular, oval, or a rectangular frame attached to a handle.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Handline” means an unbuoyed fishing line managed primarily by hand.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(8)">
      <text>“Trotline” means a length of rope or line, buoyed at both ends with one or more anchors, which is baited without hooks or snares at intervals for the purpose of catching crabs.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(9)">
      <text>“Seine” means an encircling type of net which is not more than 50 feet long and 5 feet wide.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Commercial Gear.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>In addition to the gear listed in §B(2)—(8) of this regulation, the gear defined in this section may also be used for commercial crab harvesting.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>“Bank trap” means an enclosure constructed of wire mesh not more than 4 feet long and not more than 4 feet wide, with a single row of hedging not more than 75 feet long.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>“Barrel” means a container which holds not more than 2-1/2 U.S. standard bushels of crabs and does not exceed the following inside dimensions:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>20½ inches across the top diameter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>27½ inches height; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>18 inches along the bottom diameter.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>“Channel pound” means an enclosure constructed of wire mesh not more than 8 feet long and not more than 4 feet wide, with two rows of hedging, each not longer than 100 feet long.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>“Crab scrape” means a scoop or other device which is dragged along the bottom for the purpose of catching crabs.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>“Hand scrape” means a single scoop or other device which is:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Dragged along the bottom for the purpose of catching crabs; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Retrieved by hand without the aid of any mechanical device during any stage of the retrieval.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(7)">
      <text>“Lug” means a rectangular-shaped container that does not exceed the following inside dimensions:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>22-7/8 inches in length across the top;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>14-7/8 inches in width across the top;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>21 inches length across the bottom;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>13 inches width across the bottom; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>12-3/8 inches height.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>