Mississippi Administrative Code

A. The seafood privilege tax license decal must be displayed on each vessel engaged in commercial fishing activities but will not be valid without the proper commercial harvester's license. The decal must be displayed next to the state registration number or federal documentation…

A. It is unlawful for commercial or recreational fishermen to possess fish with heads, tails or flesh removed until delivered to the final destination; however, fish may be eviscerated, scaled or have gills removed. Miss. Code Ann. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30…

A. Persons on a licensed charter boat or headboat may possess a two-day (2) bag limit only when complying with the following conditions and only for the species listed in A.06 of this chapter.1. Charter boats must be less than one hundred (100) gross tons and meet Coast Guard req…

A. It is unlawful for a recreational fisherman to possess any fish in excess of a one (1) day bag limit of the following named species as prescribed: 1. Fifteen (15) Spotted Seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) 2. Three (3) Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) 3. Two (2) Cobia (Rachycentron …

A. It is unlawful to barter, sell, offer for sale or transport for sale or possess for sale in or from the State of Mississippi the following named species of fish under the lengths prescribed:1. Red Drum - eighteen (18) inches (total length). 2. Spotted Seatrout - fourteen (14) …

A. It is unlawful for recreational fishermen to sell or offer for sale any seafood caught in or landed in the State of Mississippi and only licensed commercial fishermen may catch and sell seafood. Furthermore, it is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to purchase, buy, …

It is unlawful to take, catch, or have in possession any Atlantic Bluefin Tuna in the waters of the State of Mississippi except for incidental catches by recreational fishermen. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-10-10.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49…

It is unlawful for landings of incidental catches of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna by recreational fishermen to exceed one (1) fish per boat per week, and landings must be reported to the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-10-10.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-…

It is to take, catch, or have in possession any Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara), Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus), Longbill Spearfish (Tetrapturus pfluegeri), Smalltooth Sawfish (Pristis pectinata), or Largetooth Sawfish (Pristis perotteti) in the waters of the State o…

Anyone trotline fishing south of Interstate 10 must be registered annually with the MDMR and be issued a tag with a unique number that is to be attached to both ends of the trot line so that it is readable by MDMR personnel. If name and number is not attached to both ends and rea…

Anyone set pole and line fishing must be on-site and attending their gear from a distance not to exceed fifty (50) feet and be available to move gear to allow for safe navigation. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-13-13.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, …

Illegal to use a set pole and line with more than one (1) hook. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-13-13.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49-15-63, 49-15-303, 49-15-304, 49-15-305 and 49-15-307. Adopted 5/1/2022 Amended 7/19/2024

Illegal for any individual to use more than ten (10) set poles and lines in any marine waters south of Interstate 10. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-13-13.3 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49-15-63, 49-15-303, 49-15-304, 49-15-305 and 49-15-307. Adopt…

In the permitted reef areas bounded by the below coordinates it is illegal to fish with more than three (3) hooks per line or to use spear fishing gear equipped with power heads. 1. FH 4 - 3010.600/-8854.100,3010.245/-8854.100, 3010.600/-8853.600, 3010.395/-8853.600 2. FH 8 3016.…

A. It is unlawful to catch, take, or carry away any saltwater fish by or with any purse seines, seines, haul seines, fish traps, or any other like contrivances, in the territorial waters of the State of Mississippi within twelve hundred feet (1200) of any public pier or any pier …

It is unlawful for a person to use a gill net, trammel net, entanglement, or like contrivance for the taking of finfish in marine waters within one-half (1/2) mile of the mainland shoreline. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-16-16.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15,…

No gill and trammel nets are allowed to be set or otherwise used for the taking of aquatic life during the time between legal sunset to legal sunrise. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-16-16.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49-15-63, 49-15-78, 49-15-79,…

It is unlawful to possess fish in, or be in contact with, any gill or trammel net in a boat in the marine waters of Mississippi in the St. Louis Bay north of the CSX Railroad Bridge; in Biloxi Bay north of a line drawn between Marsh Point and Grand Bayou; in Pascagoula Bay north …

It is unlawful to set a gill or trammel net within one-quarter (1/4) nautical mile of another gill or trammel net. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-16-16.4 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49-15-63, 49-15-78, 49-15-79, 49-15-83, 49-15-94, 49-15-95, 49-15…

Within an area formed by a line running one (1) mile from the shoreline of Cat, Ship, Horn, Petit Bois, and Round Island, or from the shoals of Telegraph Keys and Telegraph Reef (Merrill Coquille)., during the period from May 15 to September 15 of each year. Notes 22 Miss. Code. …

Gill and trammel nets must be attended at all times from a distance not to exceed the length of the boat in use. It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to use or have in their possession a gill net, trammel net, or like contrivance on the waters of this state without…

All gill and trammel nets must be constructed of an approved degradable material. The only approved material for gill and trammel nets is cotton or linen. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-16-16.7 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49-15-30, 49-15-63, 49-15-78, 49-15…

It is unlawful on the waters of this state to use or have possession of any fish traps, fish pots, eel traps, eel pots, or like contrivances that are not clearly marked with the owner's full name, permit, or license number. It is unlawful to fail to check and empty each trap, pot…

It shall further be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to place or cause to be placed any trap in any navigable waterway such that it creates a hazard or nuisance to navigation. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-17-17.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-3, 49-15-5, 49-15-15, 49…

The restrictions outlined in this Part do not apply to brill nets, cast nets, drop nets for crabs, small mesh beach seines not exceeding one-hundred (100) feet in length, and having a mesh size not to exceed 1/4-inch bar-1/2 inch stretch, trawls, for the catching of shrimp, or pu…

Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Part shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be penalized in accordance with § 49-15-63 of the Mississippi Code Ann. of 1972, as amended. Violations of more than one chapter or subsection …

Each chapter and subchapter of this Part is hereby declared separable, and if any chapter or subchapter or part thereof shall be held invalid or unconstitutional, the balance of said Title 22 Part 07 shall remain in full force and effect. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-20-20.1 MISS. C…

Violations of more than one chapter or subchapter of this Part or part thereof shall be considered separate offenses and punished as such. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 3-20-20.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-15, 49-15-63, 49-15-64.1, 49-15-303, 49-15-304, and 49-15-307. Adopted 5/1/2022 Am…

This part provides for the regulations of the commercial and recreational taking of saltwater crabs and the minimum requirements necessary to regulate the processing of saltwater crabs in Mississippi waters. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-01-1.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-1, 49-15-11, 4…

A license is required for the catching or taking of crabs for commercial or recreational purposes. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-02-2.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-15, 49-15-69, 49-15-86 Adopted 5/1/2022

Licensed vessels fishing for crabs with crab traps or crab pots, must ensure that the traps or pots are identifiable to enforcement personnel. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-02-2.2 MISS. CODE ANN. § 49-15-15, 49-15-84 Adopted 5/1/2022

A. ADULTERATED - Any saltwater crab product that is prepared, packed or held under unsanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health. B. BACKING - The act of removing a crab's carapace and internal or…

It is unlawful to possess undersized hard crabs as defined in § 49-15-89 or to possess female sponge crabs as prohibited in § 49-15-84. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-04-4.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-84, 49-15-89 Adopted 5/1/2022

Any person, firm or corporation harvesting or possessing, soft shell, peeler or buster crabs which are under the five (5) inch minimum size requirement, must after removing the crabs from the traps or pots place them into a separate container. Undersize peeler or buster crabs are…

It is unlawful to commercially take crabs from the marine waters north of the CSX Bridge in the three coastal counties of Mississippi. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-05-5.1 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-15, 49-15-23, 49-15-315 Adopted 5/1/2022

It is unlawful to place or cause to be placed any crab traps or pots north of the Interstate 10 (I-10) Highway in the three (3) coastal counties. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-05-5.2 MISS. CODE ANN. §§ 49-15-15, 49-15-23, 49-15-315 Adopted 5/1/2022

Any person, firm, or corporation, or any person in command of or control of any boat with a commercial shrimping license, fish net license or oyster license must also possess a commercial crab license to retain crabs for commercial purposes. This does not apply to crabs retained …

All crab traps placed in or on the marine waters of the State of Mississippi must utilize the following materials to permanently mark the crab trap for ownership: A. corrosion resistant metal or plastic tag must be attached to the trap. a. The tag must be legibly and permanently …

It is unlawful to attach any buoy or float to any crab trap or pot with materials other than lines of nylon, hemp, cotton or woven synthetic materials which can easily be cut with a standard steel knife. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-07-7.10 MISS. CODE ANN. § 49-15-11, 49-15-15, 49-1…

Buoys shall be attached to crab traps by use of a weighted line or non-floating line. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-07-7.11 MISS. CODE ANN. § 49-15-11, 49-15-15, 49-15-84, 49-15-84.1. Adopted 5/1/2022

It is unlawful to place any crab trap or pot in any navigable waterway in such a manner that the trap line or float will interfere with normal boat traffic and create a navigational hazard or nuisance. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-07-7.12 MISS. CODE ANN. § 49-15-11, 49-15-15, 49-15-…

It is unlawful to remove crabs from crab traps or pots that are not specifically licensed or permitted to said person, firm or corporation. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R. 4-07-7.13 MISS. CODE ANN. § 49-15-11, 49-15-15, 49-15-92 Adopted 5/1/2022

It is unlawful to remove crab traps from the water or remove crabs from crab traps from thirty (30) minutes after legal sunset until thirty (30) minutes before legal sunrise the following day. It is not unlawful to possess crab traps if the crab traps are captured unintentionally…

All crab traps placed in the marine waters of the State of Mississippi must be equipped with no less than two (2) escape rings positioned on the vertical outside walls of the trap, with at least one (1) ring located in each chamber. Escape rings must have a minimum of 2 and 3/8 i…

All crab traps or pots placed in the marine waters of the state of Mississippi must be marked with a float of at least: A. six (6) inches in height, B. six (6) inches in length, C. six (6) inches in width, and D. the float must have a highly visible color. Notes 22 Miss. Code. R.…

It is unlawful to fail to mark each crab trap float with the corresponding commercial or recreational crab license number in such a manner to be clearly visible to an inspecting officer. However, licensed commercial crab fisherman may obtain a registered color code design from th…

Recreational crab fisherman must mark each trap or pot with the owner's name in such a manner to be clearly visible to an inspecting officer. In addition, all crab traps or pots fished from a boat or vessel must also be marked with that boat or vessel's registration identificatio…