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WHAT THIS NOTICE DOES
The Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces the recreational male hard crab catch and possession limits for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries for July 2025 through June 2026. Effective 12:01 a.m. July 1, 2025, the recreational male hard crab catch and possession limits for individuals on a vessel are listed below. These regulations are unchanged from the previous year.
 Daily recreational catch and possession limits for male hard crabs are based on the Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey results, conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Possession limits for July through December 2026 will be determined when results from the 2026 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey are available.
WHERE THIS NOTICE APPLIES
This applies to recreational crabbing on vessels in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, including the Maryland tributaries of the Potomac River. This change does not affect recreational crabbing from shore in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, nor any recreational crabbing in the Atlantic Ocean, its coastal bays, or tributaries.
WHY THIS IS NECESSARY
This action is necessary to ensure that male blue crab harvest does not exceed the Chesapeake Bay male conservation trigger referenced in Amendment 2 to the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan.
WHO THIS NOTICE AFFECTS
This applies to recreational crabbers who harvest male blue crabs on vessels in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.
AUTHORITY
Code of Maryland Regulations 08.02.03.14G
Josh Kurtz
Secretary, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
All public notices can be found on the DNR Fishing and Boating Services Public Notices page.
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