Transporting Crab Home

December 5, 2019

Question: I plan to go crab fishing with my wife and daughter. The limit of Dungeness is 10 per person, so 30 for the three of us. My daughter plans to fly home, and we plan to drive transporting all the crab. How do I transport my daughter’s crab legally as I may have three limits and two fishermen on hand? (Walter)

Answer: CCR Title 14, section 29.85(3) specifies the daily limit of 10 Dungeness crabs – with no mention of possession limits. When possession limits aren’t specifically mentioned in the regulations, the possession limit and the daily limit for that species are the same – 10 Dungeness crabs in this instance.

Some states have laws that allow transportation of fish or game by another sportsperson, but California does not (other than Fish and Game Code, section 2345-2348, which allows the crabs to be shipped by common carrier).

Two people driving with three limits of crab are overlimit. Don’t risk a citation; keep the legal limit of 10 crabs each, and return the rest to the water.

this is a good one. Lots of people unaware of the possession/daily limit relationship and what it means after you're done fishing! Freezer fish count!

this is a good one. Lots of people unaware of the possession/daily limit relationship and what it means after you're done fishing! Freezer fish count!

Yes! Maybe they should only keep ten just in case one of them is alone in the house. That would be an over limit too.

this is a good one. Lots of people unaware of the possession/daily limit relationship and what it means after you're done fishing! Freezer fish count!

Yes! Maybe they should only keep ten just in case one of them is alone in the house. That would be an over limit too.

No it wouldn’t.

If the warden is at your home going through your freezer you have way way bigger problems than a simple overlimit.

This is extremely far down on the list of things they give a shit about. 

this is a good one. Lots of people unaware of the possession/daily limit relationship and what it means after you're done fishing! Freezer fish count!

Yes! Maybe they should only keep ten just in case one of them is alone in the house. That would be an over limit too.

No it wouldn’t.

If the warden is at your home going through your freezer you have way way bigger problems than a simple overlimit.

This is extremely far down on the list of things they give a shit about.

You only have way bigger problems if you’ve actually done something wrong. A search is not a guarantee of wrongdoing. If 3 people catch a limit each and store them in an ice chest they are legal unless one or more of the people leave. It’s one of those things where law abiding people are harmed by our efforts to prevent law breaking. The original posts says you can be cited if all three people aren’t in the proximity of the catch at the time of the search. I’m sure there is a higher chance of being searched in a vehicle near water than any random house. I think the regs should allow for a reasonable latitude in this area. If you’re breaking the law by taking a separate vehicle home, you’re breaking the law when you store 30 crabs in your freezer with only 2 people at home. It would be simple to have a form to fill out listing the info for the angler, date and time of the catch etc. to identify the angler claiming possession. I think it’s wrong for regulations to have no remedy for the problem described in the original post.

So lets say I catch my dungenesss limits 2 days in a row. That gives me a total of 20 dungies. Then unexpectedly, for one reason or another, the DFW show up at my house. I'm aware that I must have had to commit something pretty bad for them to show up at my front door, but if they find that I have the 30 dungies, I would be considered over the limit unless I can prove that I did catch my 10-crab limit for specific dates. Is that correct? Please help me understand the daily limit and the possession limit. I'm asking as a single, license holder since my wife and 7-year old do not fish/crab with me. Thanks in advance!

So lets say I catch my dungenesss limits 2 days in a row. That gives me a total of 20 dungies. Then unexpectedly, for one reason or another, the DFW show up at my house. I'm aware that I must have had to commit something pretty bad for them to show up at my front door, but if they find that I have the 30 dungies, I would be considered over the limit unless I can prove that I did catch my 10-crab limit for specific dates. Is that correct? Please help me understand the daily limit and the possession limit. I'm asking as a single, license holder since my wife and 7-year old do not fish/crab with me. Thanks in advance!

if you as a single angler have 20 crab you're 10 over your possession limit.
if you limit 2 days in a row, hopefully you've eaten and given away all the crab from the previous day, per the explanation above.

So lets say I catch my dungenesss limits 2 days in a row. That gives me a total of 20 dungies. Then unexpectedly, for one reason or another, the DFW show up at my house. I'm aware that I must have had to commit something pretty bad for them to show up at my front door, but if they find that I have the 30 dungies, I would be considered over the limit unless I can prove that I did catch my 10-crab limit for specific dates. Is that correct? Please help me understand the daily limit and the possession limit. I'm asking as a single, license holder since my wife and 7-year old do not fish/crab with me. Thanks in advance!

If you’ve harvested a limit on 3 separate days.

You are good with 30 in your home.
Since you’ve gifted the other 20 to your wife and kid.

So lets say I catch my dungenesss limits 2 days in a row. That gives me a total of 20 dungies. Then unexpectedly, for one reason or another, the DFW show up at my house. I'm aware that I must have had to commit something pretty bad for them to show up at my front door, but if they find that I have the 30 dungies, I would be considered over the limit unless I can prove that I did catch my 10-crab limit for specific dates. Is that correct? Please help me understand the daily limit and the possession limit. I'm asking as a single, license holder since my wife and 7-year old do not fish/crab with me. Thanks in advance!

If you live with family you would have “gifted” the first 10 to someone before going out the second time. For most everything the possession limit is one daily limit. There are some exceptions.

just a question, since i don't quite understand - I can buy as many crab as I want from the Pillar Point Harbor... cash sale from one of the boats.. no receipt... are you saying that I can't have more than 10 crab in my possession?

just a question, since i don't quite understand - I can buy as many crab as I want from the Pillar Point Harbor... cash sale from one of the boats.. no receipt... are you saying that I can't have more than 10 crab in my possession?

this applies to sport fished crabs.

just a question, since i don't quite understand - I can buy as many crab as I want from the Pillar Point Harbor... cash sale from one of the boats.. no receipt... are you saying that I can't have more than 10 crab in my possession?

this applies to sport fished crabs.

I would be careful doing that with crabbing gear in your vehicle though.

just a question, since i don't quite understand - I can buy as many crab as I want from the Pillar Point Harbor... cash sale from one of the boats.. no receipt... are you saying that I can't have more than 10 crab in my possession?

this applies to sport fished crabs.

I would be careful doing that with crabbing gear in your vehicle though.

that's kind of what i meant, like if i was out crabbing, and didn't get a limit, and then went to the docks to buy more crab, themost i should ever have is still 10, since i wouldn't have a cash receipt from the boat i buy from.

just a question, since i don't quite understand - I can buy as many crab as I want from the Pillar Point Harbor... cash sale from one of the boats.. no receipt... are you saying that I can't have more than 10 crab in my possession?

this applies to sport fished crabs.

I would be careful doing that with crabbing gear in your vehicle though.

that's kind of what i meant, like if i was out crabbing, and didn't get a limit, and then went to the docks to buy more crab, themost i should ever have is still 10, since i wouldn't have a cash receipt from the boat i buy from.

Get a written receipt from the vendor

I’ve gotten a sport limit then bought extra crabs off the docks from the commercial boats so Id have enough to feed the fam and have some for a day 2 gorging.  If you ask them for a receipt they will give you one and transport or possession won’t be an issue.