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LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 11

Approved March 10, 1978.

CHAPTER 12

(House Bill 169)

AN ACT concerning

Illegal Crabs

FOR the purpose of extending the minimum size exception for
certain female crabs; removing the prohibition against
catching, possessing, or keeping certain green and
buckram crabs; and renumbering certain provisions.

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article — Natural Resources

Section 4-809

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1974 Volume and 1977 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article — Natural Resources

4-809.

(a)    A person may not catch or possess more than four
hard crabs per bushel or ten hard crabs per barrel which
measure less than 5 inches across the shell from tip to tip
of spike, any peelers measuring less than 3 inches across
the shell from tip to tip of spike, or any soft crabs
measuring less than three and one—half inches across the
shell from tip to tip of spike.

(b)    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.

(c)   [In the waters of Worcester County, the] THE
minimum size of crabs does not apply to mature female crabs,
identified by the rounded apron.

[(d) A person may not catch, possess, or keep in
floats any green crab which is less than five inches from
tip to tip of the spikes, or any buckram crab of any size.]

[(e)] (D) 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