Md. Code Regs. 08.02.05.20 - Tautog
A. An individual may not
catch or possess:
(1) A tautog less than 16 inches
total length; and
(2) A tautog from May
16 through June 30.
B.
Season and Creel Limit.
(1) From July 1 through
October 31, an individual may not catch and possess more than two tautog per
day.
(2) From November 1 through May 15
of the folio-wing year, an individual may not catch and possess more than four
tautog per day.
C. Commercial
Gear and Tagging Requirements.
(1) A pot or trap
used to catch tautog shall have hinges or fasteners on one panel or door made of one
of the following degradable materials:
(a)
Untreated hemp or jute string of 3/16 inch in diameter or smaller;
(b) Magnesium alloy timed float releases (pop-up
devices) or similar magnesium alloy fasteners; or
(c) Ungalvanized or uncoated iron wire of 0.094
inch in diameter or smaller.
(2) Before removing any tautog caught for
commercial purposes from a boat or removing a boat from the water, a person shall
affix a tag supplied by the Department to the cheek bone of the tautog.
(3) Tags:
(a)
Shall be supplied by the Department;
(b)
Are not transferable;
(c) Expire at the
end of each calendar year;
(d) May not
be reused, defaced, modified, or counterfeited;
(e) Shall be securely affixed to a whole tautog or
accompany fillets until sale to the final consumer; and
(f) Shall only be used by the commercial tidal
fish licensee to whom they were assigned.
(4) A licensee shall return unused tags to the
Department not later than February 15 of each year.
(5) Tautog caught for commercial purposes shall be
landed in the state that is identified on the tag.
D. General.
(1)
The Secretary may modify catch limits or size limits or open or close a season in
order to implement the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission Fishery
Management Plan for Tautog by issuing a public notice on the Department's
website.
(2) The public notice shall
state its effective hour and date and shall be published on the Department's website
at least 48 hours in advance of the effective hour and date.
(3) The Secretary shall make reasonable effort to
disseminate public notice through various other media so that an affected person has
reasonable opportunity to be informed.
(4) A violation of the restrictions set by the
Secretary in accordance with this section is a violation of this
regulation.
(5) An individual may not
sell or purchase a commercially caught tautog, alive or dead, that has not been
tagged in accordance with this regulation.
Notes
Regulation .20A amended effective June 15, 1998 (25:12 Md. R. 945)
Regulation .20A amended as an emergency provision effective June 9, 2003 (30:13 Md. R. 850); amended permanently effective August 18, 2003 (30:16 Md. R. 1073)
Regulation .20 amended as an emergency provision effective January 11, 2008 (35:3 Md. R. 285); amended permanently effective March 24, 2008 (35:6 Md. R. 696)
Regulation .20A, C amended effective April 2, 2012 (39:6 Md. R. 407); September 3, 2012 (39:16 Md. R. 1147)
Regulation .20D adopted effective September 3, 2012 (39:17 Md. R. 1147); amended effective 47:14 Md. R. 674, eff.
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