Blue Crab (Hard Shell) Regulations in Mississippi (2026)

Where

Statewide

Size limit

Minimum length in inches: 5 ****

Bag limit

Number of Fish Bag/Possession: No Limit

Possession

Number of Fish Bag/Possession: No Limit

• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 4.2 Any person, firm or corporation harvesting or possessing, soft shell, peeler or buster crabs which are under the five (5) inch minimum size requirement, must after removing the crabs from the traps or pots place them into a separate container. Undersize peeler or buster crabs are allowed in a single cull box (not to exceed 32” long by 19” wide by 12” high).
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 7.2 All crab traps or pots placed in the marine waters of the state of Mississippi must be marked with a float of at least: A. six (6) inches in height, B. six (6) inches in length, C. six (6) inches in width, and D. the float must have a highly visible color.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 7.3 It is unlawful to fail to mark each crab trap float with the corresponding commercial or recreational crab license number in such a manner to be clearly visible to an inspecting officer. However, licensed commercial crab fisherman may obtain a registered color code design from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR), Marine Patrol Office. Once obtained, this color code must be placed on each buoy or float and painted or affixed to each side of the vessel used to harvest crabs from said traps or pots.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 7.14 It is unlawful to remove crab traps from the water or remove crabs from crab traps from thirty (30) minutes after legal sunset until thirty (30) minutes before legal sunrise the following day. It is not unlawful to possess crab traps if the crab traps are captured unintentionally during legal trawling or dredging operations, and if said crab traps are immediately returned to the water.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 7.15 All crab traps placed in the marine waters of the State of Mississippi must be equipped with no less than two (2) escape rings positioned on the vertical outside walls of the trap, with at least one (1) ring located in each chamber. Escape rings must have a minimum of 2 and 3/8 inches inside diameter. A. From April 1 to June 30 and from September 1 to October 31, escape rings may be obstructed for the purposes of retaining peeler or buster crabs.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 2.1 A license is required for the catching or taking of crabs for commercial or recreational purposes.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 5.1 It is unlawful to commercially take crabs from the marine waters north of the CSX Bridge in the three coastal counties of Mississippi.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 6.1 Any person, firm, or corporation, or any person in command of or control of any boat with a commercial shrimp license, fish net license or oyster license must also possess a commercial crab license to retain crabs for commercial purposes. This does not apply to crabs retained for personal consumption as allowed in statute.
• Title 22, Part 4, Rule 8.1 It is unlawful to harvest or attempt to harvest or possess any crabs between January 1 and March 31 of each year within the area bounded by the following line:
• Commercial Catch Limits page lists this as "Crabs – Hard Shells".
• **** As measured from tip of one lateral spine across the back of the shell to tip of opposite lateral spine.
• Title 22, Part 3, Rule 4.1 Vessel Decal Requirements A. The seafood privilege tax license decal must be displayed on each vessel engaged in commercial fishing activities but will not be valid without the proper commercial harvester’s license. The decal must be displayed next to the state registration number or federal documentation number. B. The seafood privilege tax license decal must be displayed on each vessel engaged in charter fishing activities but will not be valid without the proper Mississippi charter license. The decal must be displayed next to the state registration number or federal documentation number.
• Federal Regulations may differ from state regulations. Please refer to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for Federal Regulations at (888) 833-1844 or www.gulfcouncil.org.
• NOTE: Fishing seasons for some species may be closed by order of the Commission on Marine Resources. Advance notice of such closures will be given.
• Regulatory language listed in associated parts of Title 22 supersedes information listed below.
• Title 22, Part 4 (Taking and Processing of Saltwater Crabs): https://dmr.ms.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Title-22-Part-04-20220501-linked.pdf

Official source