Changes in Sand Crab Regulations

[SC McCarty]

Ken started a thread on sand crabs: https://www.pierfishing.com/msgboard/index.php?threads/sand-crabs-great-bait.2288/#post-11231. OaklandP pointed out that the regulations for sand crabs changed this year:

Apparently taking sand crabs with a dip net is no longer allowed? See 2022 regs below.

(h) Gear Restrictions. It shall be unlawful to use anything other than the following hand-operated devices to take sand crabs or shrimp: spades, shovels, hoes, forks, rakes, devices that use suction commonly known as slurp guns or clam guns, or rigid pipes used to prevent the collapse of holes when digging for sand crabs or shrimp. It shall be unlawful to use any other devices to take crabs or shrimp, including any hydraulic devices.

Can someone check if dipnets and mesh devices made of hardware cloth are considered rakes, or are they now "unlawful."

Steve

 

[jungfisher]

In my opinion they fall under the idea of "rakes" when being used to catch sand crabs. Consider it a mini sand crab rake, which would surely fall under the definition of a rake. The sportfishing regs don't explicitly define what a "rake" is.