SlotGaugeCheck a catchWhelk regulations in Georgia
Shellfish · Shellfish & crabs · 2026 season
Is it a keeper? Whelk has no size limit today, with 1 bushel per person.
Whelk size limit, season and daily limit
| Where | Season | Size limit | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| GA state waters and beaches | Open year-round | No minimum size | 1 bushel per person |
Notes
- Whelk (conch): 1 bushel (8 gallons) per person, no size limit, no closed season or area.
- A fishing license and free Saltwater Information Permit are required even for picking whelks by hand on the beach.
Exact Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division wording
- Season
- Open year-round
- Size
- None
- Limit
- 1 bushel per person
- GA state waters and beaches — as printed
- “Whelk (conch) Recreational harvest of whelk is limited to 1 bushel/person. There is no minimum size, closed season or closed area. A recreational fishing license and Saltwater Information Permit (SIP) are required, including hand harvest from the beach.”
Source: Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, captured 2026-10-01 (2026 season).
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Open SlotGauge for WhelkAbout the 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 Georgia DNR Coastal Resources Division, not Wikipedia.
Frequently asked
What is the size limit for Whelk in Georgia?
No minimum size in Georgia state waters.
How many Whelk can you keep per day in Georgia?
1 bushel per person.
When is Whelk season in Georgia?
Open year-round.
Is my Whelk a keeper today?
Whelk has no size limit today, with 1 bushel per person.