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Oyster regulations in Delaware

Clams & oysters · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? Oyster is closed to harvest. Release it.

Oyster size limit, season and daily limit

WhereSeasonSize limitDaily limit
Delaware tidal watersClosed to harvest——

Exact DNREC wording

Season
Closed — recreational harvest prohibited
Size
—
Limit
Prohibited
Delaware tidal waters — as printed
“It is unlawful to recreationally harvest oysters in Delaware. This prohibition protects vulnerable oyster populations.”

Source: DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife, captured 2026-09-20 (2026 season).

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About the oyster

Eastern oyster

Species of bivalve

The eastern oyster —also called the Atlantic oyster, American oyster, or East Coast oyster—is a species of true oyster native to eastern North and South America. Other names in local or culinary use include the Wellfleet oyster, Virginia oyster, Malpeque oyster, Blue Point oyster, Chesapeake Bay oyster, and Apalachicola oyster. C. virginica ranges from northern New Brunswick south through parts of the West Indies to Venezuela. It is farmed in all of the Maritime provinces of Canada and all Eastern Seaboard and Gulf states of the United States, as well as Puget Sound, Washington, where it is known as the Totten Inlet Virginica. It was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the 19th century and is common in Pearl Harbor.

Read more about Eastern oyster 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 Oyster in Delaware?

No size limit in Delaware state waters.

How many Oyster can you keep per day in Delaware?

Recreational harvest prohibited.

When is Oyster season in Delaware?

Open year-round.

Is my Oyster a keeper today?

Oyster is closed to harvest. Release it.