Title 7 Natural Resources and Environmental Control
3700 Shellfish
3700 Shellfish
3755 Lobsters
3756 Lobsters - Pot Design
(Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §1912)
1.0 It shall be unlawful for any person to set, tend or conduct shellfishing for lobsters with any pot or trap in the waters under the jurisdiction of the State unless said pot or trap has an escape vent, slot or port of not less than two (2) inches by 5 ¾ inches located in the parlor section of each pot or trap, or if a circular escape vent is used in the parlor section of any lobster pot or trap, it shall be unlawful to use any circular vent that is less than 2 5/8 inches inside diameter.
2.0 It shall be unlawful for any person to set, tend or conduct shellfishing for lobsters with any pot or trap, not constructed entirely of wood, excluding heading or parlor twine and the escape vent, that does not contain a ghost panel covering an opening that measures at least 3 ¾ inches by 3 ¾ inches. A ghost panel means a panel, or other mechanism, designed to allow the escapement of lobsters after a period of time if the pot or trap has been abandoned or lost. The panel must be constructed of, or fastened to the pot or trap with, one of the following untreated materials: wood lath, cotton, hemp, sisal or jute twine not greater than 3/16 inch in diameter, or non-stainless, uncoated ferrous metal not greater than 3/32 inch in diameter. The door of the pot or trap may serve as the ghost panel, if fastened with a material specified in this subsection. The ghost panel must be located in the outer parlor(s) of the pot or trap and not the bottom of the pot or trap.
3.0 It shall be unlawful for any recreational or commercial lobster pot fisherman to set, tend or conduct shellfishing for lobsters with a lobster pot or trap with a volume larger than 22,950 cubic inches.
2 DE Reg 1898 (4/1/99)
10 DE Reg. 1034 (12/01/06)
3757 Lobsters - Pot, Season And Limits For Commercial Lobster Pot License
Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §1912)
1.0 It shall be lawful for any person who has a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License to harvest lobsters in the waters under the jurisdiction of the State at any time as permitted by law on any date except Sunday.
2.0 It shall be unlawful for any person who has a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License to set, tend or use in any manner in excess of fifty (50) lobster pots for the taking of lobsters in the waters under the jurisdiction of the State.
3.0 It shall be unlawful for any person, licensed to catch or land lobsters for commercial purposes in this State, who uses gear or methods other than pots or traps outside the jurisdiction of this State, to land more than 100 lobsters per day for each day at sea during the same trip, up to a maximum of 500 lobsters per trip for trips 5 days or longer
2 DE Reg. 1898 (4/1/99)
3758 Possession Of V-notched Lobsters Prohibited
(Penalty Section 7 Del.C. §1912)
1.0 It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a V-notched female lobster. V-notched female lobster means any female lobster bearing a V-notch, a straight-sided triangular cut with or without setal hairs at least 1/8 inch in depth and tapering to a sharp point, in the flipper next to the right of center flipper as viewed from the rear of the female lobster. V-notched female lobster also means any female lobster which is mutilated in a manner which could hide, obscure or obliterate such a mark. The right flipper will be examined when the underside of the lobster is down and its tail is toward the person making the determination.
2 DE Reg. 1898 (4/1/99)
11 DE Reg. 1662 (06/01/08)
