Delaware Code Title 7. Conservation § 1918. Limited entry and transfer of commercial crabbing licenses

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 2303 of this title, the Department shall not issue any commercial crab pot or trotline license to any new licensee after March 13, 1990, and shall not issue crab pot or trotline licenses to any new licensee until the total number of commercial crab pot and trotline licenses drops to 82 or below as of October 31 of any year.  At that time, a lottery will be held by the Department to allow the number of commercial crab pot and trotline licenses to increase to 100.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 2307 of this title, the Department shall not issue any crab dredgers licenses to any new licensee after March 13, 1990, and shall not issue crab dredgers licenses to any new licensee until the number of crab dredgers licenses drops to 18 or below as of March 31 of any year.  At that time, a lottery will be held by the Department to allow the number of crab dredgers licenses to increase to 21.

(c) A commercial crab pot licensee, crab trotline licensee, or crab dredgers licensee may transfer a license at any time, including posthumously, to a member of the immediate family.  A member of the immediate family shall mean a parent, child, sibling or spouse.  A commercial crab pot licensee also may transfer a license, including posthumously, to a designee provided the designee has been listed as same on the license for at least 2 consecutive years.  The transfer of the appropriate license shall be in writing.

(d) Notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, no license shall be transferred to any person under 16 years of age.

(e) An active commercial fisher with a commercial crab dredger's license may transfer the license to a commercial fishing apprentice who has completed no less than 150 days of commercial fishing activities over no less than a 1-year period.