Maryland Natural Resources Section 4-809

      (a)      A person may not catch or possess more than 10 hard crabs per bushel or 25 hard crabs per barrel which measure less than 5 inches across the shell from tip to tip of spike.

      (b)      (1)      Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may not catch or possess peeler crabs measuring less than 3 inches across the shell from tip to tip of spike.

            (2)      A person may possess a bycatch of peeler crabs measuring less than 3 inches across the shell from tip to tip of spike if the bycatch is not greater than:

                  (i)      30 per bushel; or

                  (ii)      60 per float.

            (3)      In determining the number of peelers measuring less than 3 inches across the shell from tip to tip of the spike, the Department shall select the minimum number of bushels or floats necessary to be representative of the person's catch.

      (c)      A person may not catch or possess soft crabs measuring less than three and one-half inches across the shell from tip to tip of the spike.

      (d)      In the waters of Worcester County, a person may not catch, possess, or keep in floats any fat crabs, or any crab known as snot crab, green crab, or buckram crab.

      (e)      The minimum size of crabs does not apply to mature female crabs, identified by the rounded apron.

      (f)      The provisions of subsection (a) do not apply to crabs imported into Maryland during the closed season for catching crabs if the person possessing the imported crabs has a certificate of origin.

      (g)      Once taken, peelers shall be kept separate from other crabs.