Md. Code Regs. 08.02.21.03 - Commercial
A. Season.
(1) The commercial season for harvesting yellow
perch is December 1 through March 31, inclusive.
(2) Yellow perch legally harvested in another state may be
sold or offered for sale in Maryland if accompanied by proof of origin which details
the total weight of yellow perch for each container.
B. Size.
(1)
The minimum size for yellow perch is 8-1/2 inches total length.
(2) The maximum size for yellow perch is 11 inches total
length.
C. Daily Catch
Limits.
(1) Hook and Line. The daily catch limit
for yellow perch harvested by means of hook and line from the tidal waters of the
State is ten fish per person per day.
(2) Gear Other than Hook and Line.
(a) A commercial tidal fish licensee permitted in
accordance with §E of this regulation to harvest yellow perch commercially may
harvest up to 150 pounds of yellow perch per day from the Patuxent River fishing
area defined in §D(3) of this regulation.
(b) There is no daily catch limit for the fishing
area defined in §D(1) or (2) of this regulation.
(c) The Department shall set an annual commercial
target harvest for each fishing area defined in §D of this
regulation.
D.
Fishing Areas. A person may fish for yellow perch for commercial purposes only in
the following areas:
(1) Chesapeake Bay and its
tidal tributaries, excluding the Magothy River and the Chester River, upstream of
the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge northern span;
(2) Chester River upstream of a line beginning at
a point at or near Love Point, defined by Lat. 39°02.40'N and Long.
76°18.16'W; then running approximately 83° True to a point at or near the
northwest point of Eastern Neck Island, defined by Lat. 39°02.77'N and Long.
76°14.05'W; and
(3) Patuxent River
upstream of a line drawn from a point at or near Hog Point, defined by Lat.
38°18.59'N and Long. 76°23.99'W; then running approximately 299° True to
a point at or near Drum Point, defined by Lat. 38°19.14'N and Long.
76°25.27'W; and downstream of a line beginning at a point at or near Jackson
Landing defined by Lat. 38°46.46'N and Long. 76°42.70'W; then running
approximately 45° True to a point defined by Lat. 38°46.48'N and Long.
76°42.68'W.
E. Yellow
Perch Harvest Permit.
(1) A person catching yellow
perch for commercial purposes shall:
(a) Be
licensed to fish for commercial purposes in accordance with Natural Resources
Article, §
4-701, Annotated Code of
Maryland;
(b) Obtain a valid yellow
perch harvest permit issued by the Department; and
(c) Have the Department issued yellow perch
harvest permit in possession while harvesting or transporting yellow
perch.
(2) Yellow perch
harvest permits issued by the Department shall be valid during the current
commercial season for harvesting yellow perch.
F. Declaration.
(1) During the period August 1 through October 31,
unless otherwise directed by public notice, a commercial tidal fish licensee shall
declare their intent to fish for yellow perch by paying the fee as established in
Natural Resources Article, §
4-701(f)(1)(ii),
Annotated Code of Maryland.
(2) A
commercial tidal fish licensee who has not declared by October 31 of the current
year or the close of business the next business day when October 31 occurs on a
weekend or holiday, may not catch yellow perch for sale or participate during the
subsequent commercial yellow perch season.
(3) An exception to the October 31 deadline may be
considered by the Department only for an individual who can provide satisfactory
documentation of a physical or mental incapacity that prevented that individual from
meeting the declaration time period established in §F(1) of this
regulation.
G. Tags.
(1) The Department shall provide tags to each
commercial tidal fish licensee who is authorized to participate in the commercial
yellow perch fishery.
(2) The Department
may not provide replacement tags for tags that are lost.
(3) Except as provided in §I of this
regulation, before landing a yellow perch, an individual shall affix a tag to the
yellow perch as directed by the Department.
(4) A commercial tidal fish licensee shall return
any unused tags to the Department within 14 days of the end of the permitted
season.
H. Transfers.
(1) Yellow perch harvest permits and tags may not
be transferred.
(2) If an individual
transfers a tidal fish license during the yellow perch season, the yellow perch
harvest permit and tags assigned to that individual shall be returned to the
Department within 14 days of the license transfer.
I. Yellow Perch Live Market.
(1) A commercial tidal fish licensee who sells or
offers for sale yellow perch in the live market which were harvested from the tidal
waters of the State shall:
(a) Contact the
Department at the number stated on the yellow perch harvest permit at least 24 hours
prior to loading yellow perch into a container in which it will be transported;
and
(b) Keep a bill of lading or other
proof of sale and provide a copy of that documentation to the Department within 14
days of the end of the permitted season.
(2) The bill of lading or other proof of sale shall contain
the total weight of yellow perch sold and the date of the sale.
J. Reporting. A commercial tidal fish licensee
permitted by the Department to harvest yellow perch shall:
(1) Complete all information on the yellow perch
harvest permit card and on the daily commercial fisheries catch log;
(2) Report daily catch, regardless of amount, to
the Department by 11:59 p.m. every day through the Department-described
process;
(3) Return the daily commercial
fisheries catch log to the Department within the time specified by the Department in
accordance with COMAR
08.02.13.06;
(4) Return the completed yellow perch harvest
permit card to the Department within 14 days of the end of the permitted
season;
(5) Make available yellow perch
harvest permit cards, tags, and catch logs for immediate inspection on request of a
Department representative; and
(6)
Cooperate with Department-approved surveys and catch inspections necessary for
harvest and by-catch determination, and biological
characterization.
Notes
Regulation .03C, D amended effective January 24, 2011 (38:2 Md. R. 83)
Regulation .03J amended effective February 22, 2010 (37:4 Md. R. 338)
Regulation .03 amended effective 41:25 Md. R. 1478, eff.
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.