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Maryland saltwater size limits and seasons

38 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-10-04. All 92 Maryland species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Alewife and Blueback Herring	Closed	—	—
American Eel	January 1 – August 31	9 inch minimum	25 per person per day
American Shad	Closed	—	—
Atlantic Croaker	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	25 per person per day
Atlantic Menhaden	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark and Bonnethead Shark	Open year-round	No size limit	1 of each species (1 bonnethead + 1 Atlantic sharpnose) per angler per calendar day, in addition to the 1 approved-list shark
Atlantic Sturgeon	Closed	—	—
Black Drum	Open year-round	16 inch minimum	1 per person, boat limit 6
Black Sea Bass	May 1 – December 31	12.5 inch minimum	15 per person per day
Bluefish	Open year-round	8 inch minimum	5 per person (7 on for-hire boats)
Cobia	June 15 – September 20	43 inch minimum	1 per person; 2 per vessel with 2+ aboard
Dolphin	Open year-round	No size limit	10 per person, boat limit 54
Grouper	Open year-round	None	1 per person per day
Hammerhead Sharks (Great, Scalloped, Smooth)	July 16 – May 14	78 inch minimum	1 shark per angler per calendar day from the approved list
Hickory Shad	Closed	—	—
Highly Migratory Species - Tunas, Billfish and Swordfish (Bluefin Tuna, Blue Marlin, White Marlin, Roundscale Spearfish, Sailfish, Swordfish)	Open year-round	No size limit	Federal HMS limits; see hmspermits.noaa.gov
Prohibited Sharks (Sandbar, Dusky, Sand Tiger, Oceanic Whitetip, Shortfin Mako and all unlisted species)	Closed	—	—
Red Drum	Open year-round	18–26 inch slot	3 per person per day
Scup	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	30 per person per day
Sharks - 54 inch group, closed May 15 to July 15 (Blacktip, Bull, Lemon, Nurse, Spinner, Tiger)	July 16 – May 14	54 inch minimum	1 shark per angler per calendar day from the approved list
Sharks - 54 inch group, open year round (Blacknose, Blue, Common Thresher, Finetooth, Porbeagle)	Open year-round	54 inch minimum	1 shark per angler per calendar day from the approved list (all approved species combined)
Sheepshead	Open year-round	12 inch minimum	4 per person per day
Shortnose Sturgeon	Closed	—	—
Shrimp	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Smooth Dogfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Snapper	Open year-round	None	20 combined, max 10 of one species
Spanish Mackerel	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	15 per person per day
Spiny Dogfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Spot	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per person per day
Spotted Seatrout	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	4 per person per day
Striped Bass	Open year-round	28–31 inch slot	1 per person per day
Striped Bass (Susquehanna Flats, Lower Susquehanna River and Northeast River)	June 1 – July 31, September 1 – December 5	19–24 inch slot	1 fish per person per day
Summer Flounder	Open year-round	16 inch minimum (January 1 – May 31); 17.5 inch minimum (June 1 – December 31)	4 per person per day
Tautog	July 1 – May 15	16 inch minimum	4 (Jan 1 – May 15 and Nov 1 – Dec 31); 2 (Jul 1 – Oct 31)
Tilefish	Open year-round	Federal limits	Federal limits; permit and reporting required
Wahoo	Open year-round	No size limit	2 per person per day
Weakfish	Open year-round	13 inch minimum	1 per person per day
White Perch	Open year-round	no minimum by hook and line (8 in with other gear)	No daily limit