§ 4-736. Fishing restrictions -- Eels

   (a) Authority of Department. -- The Department may supervise, regulate, and control catching eels in the tidal waters of the State. In exercising this power, the Department may prescribe the areas within and methods by which eels may be caught.

(b) Licensing requirements. --

   (1) A person may not catch eels for sale with pots or other devices in the tidal waters of the State without first obtaining a tidal fish license to catch finfish for commercial purposes from the Department.

   (2) A licensee who is authorized to catch crabs under this section may use up to 50 pots to catch eels for personal use as crab trotline bait without obtaining an authorization to catch finfish.

(c) Adoption of regulations. -- The Department shall adopt rules and regulations concerning commercial fishing for eels by area, gear, season, size, and reporting of catch.

(d) Catch reports. -- Each individual who catches eels for sale or for personal use as bait shall make catch reports, as prescribed by rule or regulation, on forms provided by the Department.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 13C; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1982, ch. 222; 1983, ch. 579; 1990, ch. 433; 1994, ch. 184.