New York Crab Pot Regulations

Verified against 6 NYCRR 44.2 and NYSDEC guidance, September 2026. Rules change. Confirm with NYSDEC before you set gear. This page is a reference, not legal advice.

Escape rings: not required. Escape vent and TEDs are.

New York does not require circular cull rings in blue crab pots. Commercial pots must have at least one oval or rectangular escape vent with a minimum opening of 6" by 4".

Terrapin excluder devices

Required on every non-collapsible crab pot fished in creeks, coves, rivers, tributaries and near-shore harbors of the Marine and Coastal District. Fastened inside each funnel entrance, reducing the opening to no larger than 4-3/4" by 1-3/4". DEC publishes an interactive map of the waters where TEDs apply, and may add waters by order. This is a gear rule; staying under the harvest limit does not make a non-compliant pot legal.

Minimum sizes

Crab Minimum carapace width
Hard crab 4-1/2"
Soft crab 3-1/2"
Peeler / shedder 3"
Egg-bearing Prohibited

Carapace width is the longest straight-line width of the shell including spines. New York and New Jersey share the 4-1/2" hard crab, the smallest on the coast. A Maryland 5" or 5-1/4" stick throws back legal New York crabs. Our aluminum cull stick is listed at 5-1/4"; call the shop for a 4-1/2" cut.

Recreational

  • No license or registry required for crabs
  • 50 crabs per person per day, any species or combination
  • Open year round
  • Non-collapsible pots must be marked with a visible buoy, reflective material and contact information, and not set within 25 feet of a designated navigation channel
  • Local towns may add size, catch, gear, residency and permit rules; check the town

Sources

Gear for New York pots

Back to cull ring requirements by state