Licensed live saltwater bait catcher boats may, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, take or catch, or attempt to take or catch, bait shrimp of any size and other saltwater species of bait in waters of the state under the jurisdiction of the Marine Resources Division as defined by rule of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources not permanently closed to shrimping. Licensed live saltwater bait catchers may take or catch, or attempt to take or catch, live saltwater bait from 4:00 o'clock a.m. until 10:00 o'clock p.m. in areas temporarily closed to commercial shrimping, except as otherwise provided by law or regulation. In an area temporarily closed to commercial shrimping or in an area designated as an exclusive bait area, live saltwater bait may not be taken with any seine or trawl having a width greater than 16 feet as measured at the cork line or main top line. Lengths and widths of leadlines or footropes and trawl boards may be set by regulation. Dead shrimp must be packaged and sold with head attached in lots of no more than five pounds. The holder of a live saltwater bait license may have in his or her possession pursuant to such license not more than two standard shrimp baskets (measuring 17 inches in diameter at the top, 13.5 inches at the bottom and 14 inches in height) of shrimp live or dead on the licensee's boat, not more than two shrimp baskets on his or her truck, and not more than a total of four standard shrimp baskets at the licensee's place of business or otherwise. Any shrimp taken by the licensee may only be sold as bait.
Last modified: May 3, 2021