American lobster Regulations in Delaware (2026)

Where

Statewide

Size limit

§ 2501. Size limit. It shall be unlawful for any person to take from any waters within the jurisdiction of the State or have in that person’s possession at any time any American lobster with a minimum carapace length measuring less than 3 1 / 4 inches between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1990; 3 9 / 3 2 inches between January 1, 1991, and December 31, 1991; and 3 5 / 1 6 inches after January 1, 1992, and 3 3 / 8 inches beginning July 1, 2004. The carapace, or body shell, is measured from the rear end of the eye socket along a line parallel to the center line of the carapace to the posterior end of the carapace. Further, it shall be unlawful for any person to take from any waters within the jurisdiction of the state or have in that person’s possession, at any time, any female American lobster with a carapace length measuring more than 5 1 / 2 inches except that beginning July 1, 2008, no male or female lobster may be taken or possessed that has a carapace length measuring more than 5 1 / 4 inches.

Bag limit

2.4 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.

Season

2.1 Except as provided in subsections 2.1.1 and 2.1.2, it is unlawful to set or tend lobster pots or to take and reduce to possession or attempt to take and reduce to possession lobsters during the period February 1 through March 31. 2.1.1 A person with a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License may remove lobster gear from the water during the period February 1 through February 14; however, no lobsters may be reduced to possession. 2.1.2 A person with a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License may set lobster gear during the period March 25 through March 31; however, the gear cannot be tended and no lobsters may be reduced to possession.

• 2.3 It is unlawful for any person who has a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License to set, tend or use in any manner in excess of 50 lobster pots for the taking of lobsters in the waters under the jurisdiction of the State.
• 7 Del.C. §2505: (b) It shall be unlawful to take or attempt to take lobsters for commercial purposes by any method other than a lobster pot. The number of and design of said pots will be established by regulation.
• 1.1 It is 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 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 is unlawful to use less than 2 circular vents that are less than 2 5/8 inches inside diameter.
• 1.2 It is 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.
• 1.3 It is 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.
• 7 Del.C. §2504: (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to catch or land lobsters for commercial purposes in this State unless said person has applied for, secured from the Department and has in his or her possession a valid commercial lobster pot license. The fee for a resident commercial lobster license shall be $57.50. The fee for a nonresident commercial lobster license shall be $575. Said license shall be valid only for the commercial taking of lobsters from 1 vessel operated by the applicant or designee as specified in the license.
• 2.2 It is unlawful for any person who has a valid Commercial Lobster Pot License to harvest lobsters in the waters under the jurisdiction of the State on any Sunday.
• 3.1 It is 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 (uropod) next to the right of center flipper (telson) as viewed from the rear of the female lobster with the underside (ventral side) facing down.
• 4.2 An electronic tracking device shall be installed and activated prior to beginning a lobster fishing trip with pot gear onboard by a Delaware commercial lobster pot licensee operating any vessel named on a NOAA Fisheries limited access lobster permit, pursuant to 50 CFR § 697.4, to fish trap gear for lobsters and Jonah crabs in the Exclusive Economic Zone. All permit holders shall sign a written affidavit confirming the electronic tracking device has been installed.

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