Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-2-4-.07 - Crabbing

(1) Purpose. The purpose of these Rules is to implement the authority of the Board of Natural Resources to promulgate rules and regulations to regulate the times, places, numbers, species, sizes, manner, methods, ways, means, and devices of taking, capturing, transporting, storing, selling, and using wildlife so as to conserve marine crabs, primarily of the species Callinectes sapidus.

(2) Definitions.

(a) "Escape ring" means a rigid, circular port forming the boundary of an opening placed flush with an outside surface of the wire mesh or other material in the wall of the crab trap so as to create an unobstructed opening through the wall of the trap.

(b)

(i) "Commercial crab trap" means a trap as specified in O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(14) and 27-4-151(i), deployed for the purpose of taking crabs as defined in O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(21) whether such crabs are taken for the purpose of sale or not.

(ii) Additionally, a crab trap shall have installed at least two escape rings with unobstructed openings of minimum inside diameter of 2 3/8 inches. Such escape rings shall be positioned in the crab trap on any of the four vertical, outside walls. For purposes of meeting this definition, escape rings shall not be placed on a horizontal outside wall, which forms the ceiling, or top of the trap, or the bottom of the trap.

(iii) In addition to the specifications detailed in subsection (i) of O.C.G.A. 27-4-151, effective April 1, 2005 the float attached to any commercial crab trap fished without a commercial fishing license or a commercial crabbing license pursuant to that subsection of the Code shall be colored fluorescent green or lime green. No commercial crab trap fished for the purpose of sale shall be marked with a fluorescent green or lime green float.

(c) In addition to the specifications detailed in O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(14), a "commercial peeler crab trap" deployed for the purpose of taking "peeler crabs" as defined in O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(47), whether such peeler crabs are taken for the purpose of sale or not, shall be constructed with a minimum mesh size of one inch, shall have a minimum dimension of 24 inches, by 24 inches, by 24 inches and shall be exempt from the escape ring requirement specified in subparagraph 391-2-4-.07(2)(b), provided that such a trap is baited only with legal-sized live male blue crabs. Other baits including fish or other organisms which attract crabs into such traps, shall be prohibited and shall be prima-facie evidence of a violation of this paragraph.

(3) Gear for taking Crabs.

(a) Any person who deploys a crab trap in the waters of the State as provided for in O.C.G.A. 27-4-151 may only use a crab trap as defined in O.C.G.A. 27-1-2(14) and 27-4-151, and in paragraphs (2)(b) and (c) above.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-2-4-.07

O.C.G.A. Title 12, Sec. 27-1-4.

Original Rule entitled "Bait Shrimping" adopted as R. 391-4-8-.07. F. Dec. 9, 1975; eff. Dec. 29, 1975. (This Rule was not printed at the request of the Agency. Adoption of a new Chapter 391-4-8 was contemplated.) Repealed: F. Aug. 26, 1977; eff. Sept. 15, 1977. Amended: New Rule entitled "Commercial Crabbing" adopted. F. Feb. 28, 1995; eff. Mar. 20, 1995. Amended: F. May 29, 1996; eff. June 18, 1996. Repealed: New Rule entitled "Crabbing" adopted. F. Dec. 20, 2004; eff. Apr. 1, 2005, as specified by the Agency.