SlotGaugeCheck a catchKnobbed Whelk regulations in Delaware
Conchs & whelks · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Knobbed Whelk size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware tidal waters | Open year-round | 5 inch minimum | No daily limit (max 2 conch pots) |
Notes
- Pots must carry all-white buoys with the owner's name and address and be tended at least every 72 hours.
Exact DNREC wording
- Season
- Open year-round (conch pots only, max 2 pots)
- Size
- 5 inches along the axis or 3.0 inch diameter at the whorl
- Limit
- No daily limit
- Delaware tidal waters — as printed
- “Knobbed conch must measure at least 5 inches along the axis or have a minimum diameter at the whorl of 3.0 inches. Conch (channeled and knobbed whelk) may only be taken using conch pots with at least one escape vent measuring at least 5 inches x 10 inches in the top or parlor section. The recreational harvest of conch by any other method is prohibited. Recreational conch potters may not use, place, set or tend more than two conch pots.”
Source: DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-09-20 (2026 season).
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About the knobbed whelk
Species of gastropod
The knobbed whelk is a species of very large predatory sea snail, or in the US, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Busyconidae, the busycon whelks.
Read more about Knobbed whelk on Wikipedia →
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, not Wikipedia.
All 196 Delaware species A–Z →
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Knobbed Whelk in Delaware?
5 inch minimum in Delaware state waters.
How many Knobbed Whelk can you keep per day in Delaware?
No daily limit (max 2 conch pots).
When is Knobbed Whelk season in Delaware?
Open year-round.
Is my Knobbed Whelk a keeper today?
A knobbed whelk is a keeper today if it measures at least 5 inches, with No daily limit (max 2 conch pots).