American Shad regulations in Maryland

· Saltwater · 2026 season

Is it a keeper? American Shad is closed to harvest. Release it.

American Shad size limit, season and daily limit

Where	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays	Closed to harvest	—	—
Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries	Closed to harvest	—	—

Exact Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services wording

Season: CLOSED
Size: CLOSED
Limit: CLOSED
Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays — as printed: “Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad and Shortnose Sturgeon | CLOSED”
Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries — as printed: “Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad and Shortnose Sturgeon | CLOSED”

Source: Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services, captured 2026-10-04 (2026 season).

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About the american shad

Species of fish

The American shad is a species of anadromous clupeid fish naturally distributed on the North American coast of the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Florida, and as an introduced species on the North Pacific coast. The American shad is not closely related to the other North American shads. Rather, it seems to form a lineage that diverged from a common ancestor of the European taxa before these diversified.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Regulations on this page come from Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services, not Wikipedia.

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Frequently asked

What is the size limit for American Shad in Maryland?

CLOSED in Maryland state waters.

How many American Shad can you keep per day in Maryland?

CLOSED.

When is American Shad season in Maryland?

Open year-round.

Is my American Shad a keeper today?

American Shad is closed to harvest. Release it.