Crabbing in NY

Commercial Crabbing

In New York, a commercial crab permit is required to take or land more than 50 crabs in any one day. A commercial crab permit is also required if any person sells or barters or offers for sale or barter any crabs they have taken. The commercial crab fishery is a limited entry fishery. For more information about the commercial crab permit, please visit the Marine Permits and Licenses page.

Blue crab and Jonah crab are two crab species that have been historically taken by New York commercial permit holders. Size limits and gear restrictions exist for these fisheries. For more information about specific crab management measures please visit the Commercial Limits for Lobsters, Crabs & Whelk page and be sure to review New York's Environmental Regulations - 6 NYCRR Section 44.2. 

Please note: Any person who is the holder of a marine commercial crab permit is required to submit a Vessel Trip Report (VTR) for each commercial fishing trip taken. For more information, please visit the Vessel Trip Reports page.

Recreational Crabbing

Blue crab ("blue claw crab") are the most popular species taken by recreational crabbers. New York State has hundreds of miles of shoreline that provide abundant crabbing opportunities in the Marine and Coastal District, including within New York's bays, harbors, and estuaries and in the Hudson River. Crabbing is an inexpensive family fun activity that all ages can participate in.

• No permit or license is required to recreationally crab in New York.
• Visit Saltwater Fishing Regulations for information about size and possession limits before you go crabbing.
• Take or possession of any egg-bearing crabs is prohibited.
• DEC has posted regulatory signs at many popular blue crabbing sites throughout the Marine and Coastal District which explain these rules, see Blue Crab Sign (PDF) 
• Review the NYS Department of Health's Fish Advisories for New York City & Marine Waters before going crabbing.
• Review the NYS Department of Health's New York State Blue Crab Cooking & Eating Guide before you cook and eat your crabs.

Recreational Crabbing Gear

One method to catch blue crab is by using a baited handline and dipnet. Drop a bait (oily fish or raw chicken leg) tied to a length of string into the water. If the crabs are there, you will see your line go tight. If you retrieve the line slowly, you can scoop the crab up with your dipnet.

Another method is to set a collapsible trap or non-collapsible crab pot baited with oily fish such as menhaden or mackerel. Crabs will climb into your trap in search of the bait. Simply retrieve the trap and collect your crabs. Please note that there are certain rules you must follow when setting non-collapsible crab pots.

Terrapin Excluder Devices

Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) are found in the local bays and estuaries of the marine district. This turtle species plays an important role in maintaining the health of saltmarsh ecosystems that many of our other marine species rely on. Unfortunately, terrapins enter crab pots in search of food. Once inside a crab pot, terrapin cannot find the exit; they cannot surface or breathe, and they drown inside. Installation of TEDs on crab pots keep terrapins out and let blue crabs in. Do your part to help diamondback terrapins by installing TEDs on all the entrances to your pots.

A small number of plastic TEDs (provided by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and Seatuck Environmental Association) will be available to crab pot fishers on a first come/first serve basis at no cost. Please contact us at 631-444-0444 or [email protected] for more information.

For more on this topic, view TNC's "Save the Terrapins" video.

Citizen Science

DEC asks that all crabbers report any tagged crabs that you capture to the Blue Crab Tagging Program. 

Additionally recreational crabbers can provide DEC with information about their blue crab harvest through the digital Recreational Blue Crab Survey.

Other Crab

Other species of crab that are commonly harvested for food by recreational crabbers include the lady (calico) crab, and the rock crab. Other small crab species are commonly harvested for use as bait. Be sure to visit our Saltwater Fishing Regulations page before you go crabbing to learn the daily possession limit for these species.

Invasive Crab Species

Invasive species are non-native species that are introduced to our waters. The introduction of these species causes harm to the ecosystem. These species can spread rapidly and compete with native species of marine life.

Some examples of invasive crab species include the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), and the dungeness crab (Cancer magister). If you capture an invasive species, do not release it. Instead photograph the crab and note the location and date of capture, then contact the Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health by calling: 518-402-9425 or emailing: [email protected] to report it.

Remember, never release any non-native animal or plant into the wild. This includes marine animals bought from a market or pet store. For more information about marine invasive species, visit the Marine Invasive Species webpage.