Crab Pots and Avoiding Commercial-Gear Conflicts

A recreational crab pot is functionally similar in design to commercial gear, which is exactly why this guide's own pot-marking requirement (a visible 'R' plus an identifying number) matters — it lets both game wardens and other water users tell recreational and commercial gear apart at a glance.

Never pull, move, or disturb a pot or trotline that isn't yours, commercial or recreational — this is both a legal and an ethical line. A genuinely abandoned or derelict pot should be reported to VMRC, not handled as if it were fair game.

Give working commercial crabbers, oystermen, and their gear real physical space, especially in narrow tidal creeks — a recreational boat idling through an active commercial operation's work area is a real, avoidable source of conflict on the water.