Verified against COMAR 08.02.03 and Maryland DNR guidance, September 2026. Rules change. Confirm with Maryland DNR before you set gear. This page is a reference, not legal advice.
Cull rings
Under COMAR 08.02.03.07, a crab pot set in the Chesapeake Bay or its tidal tributaries must have two cull rings, one of at least 2-3/16" and one of at least 2-5/16" inside diameter, located in the exterior side panels or the top panel of the pot. Pots built with unstretched mesh under 1-1/2" or of 2" or more are exempt.
The coastal bays are different. Under COMAR 08.02.03.12, a pot set in the coastal bays of the Atlantic and their tributaries (Worcester County) needs one unobstructed 2-5/16" ring on a side panel of the upper compartment and one 2-5/16" ring on a panel of the lower compartment. Same mesh exemptions.
Maryland also accepts a square opening of at least 4-1/2" by 4-1/2" covered with 2" by 2" mesh, giving at least four full 2" squares, in place of a ring.
What that means for rigging
Bay pots: one 2-3/16" and one 2-5/16". Coastal bay pots: two 2-5/16", one high and one low. Our 2-5/16" cull rings are the larger ring for the Bay and both rings for the coastal bays. Bay pots still need a 2-3/16" alongside.
Turtle reduction devices
A crab pot set for recreational purposes must have a turtle reduction device firmly attached to each entrance funnel in the lower chamber. The device is a wire or plastic rectangle no larger than 1-3/4" high by 4-3/4" long. DNR compliance checks have found roughly half of recreational pots without them; fines run per missing device.
Minimum sizes, Chesapeake Bay
| Crab | Apr 1 to Jul 14 | Jul 15 to Dec 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Male hard crab | 5" | 5-1/4" |
| Peeler | 3-1/4" | 3-1/2" |
| Soft crab | 3-1/2" | |
| Mature female | No minimum (commercial); recreational possession of any female is prohibited | |
Measured point to point across the shell. Sponge crabs may not be possessed. The Atlantic coastal bays run 5" hard crabs all season with no time-of-day restrictions.
That July 15 step from 5" to 5-1/4" is why our aluminum cull stick is cut at 5-1/4", with grading notches at 5-3/4" and 6". A plastic stick sold a sixteenth undersized reads 5-3/16" on a 5-1/4" day. Ours holds to .005".
Season and pot removal
- Pots may not be set in state waters before March 31.
- All pots must be out of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries by December 31.
- Coastal bays: commercial pots out by November 16.
Recreational pot registration
Since 2014, waterfront property owners setting pots off private shoreline must register with DNR. Registration is free, valid 365 days, and done online through DNR's licensing portal. Limit is two pots per property, within 100 yards of the shoreline.
Sources
- COMAR 08.02.03.07, Crab Pots
- COMAR 08.02.03.12, Special Regulations for Crabbing in Worcester County
- Maryland DNR Blue Crab Regulations
Gear for Maryland pots
- Door hooks: FlatStack, 4-1/4" overall, 3-1/2" center to center, cut for a commercial Chesapeake pot door. Bulk boxes from 100 to 10,000.
- Cull rings: our 2-5/16" ring is the larger of Maryland's two required rings, and both rings for the coastal bays. Bay pots still need a 2-3/16" alongside.
- Cull stick: 5-1/4" machined aluminum for July 15 through December; call for the 5" cut for April through July 14.
- Recreational pots: turtle reduction device in every funnel.