(a) (1) Except as provided in regulations adopted under paragraph (2) of this subsection, a person may not catch or possess soft crabs measuring less than three and one-half inches across the shell from tip to tip of the spike.

(2) (i) The Department shall adopt regulations establishing and governing a permissible bycatch for soft crabs under this subsection.

(ii) The regulations that the Department adopts under this paragraph may not be more restrictive than the applicable restrictions on the permissible bycatch for hard crabs and peeler crabs.

(b) In the waters of Worcester County, a person may not catch, possess, or keep in floats any fat crabs, or any crab known as snot crab, green crab, or buckram crab.

(c) The minimum size of crabs does not apply to mature female crabs, identified by the rounded apron.

(d) The minimum size for peeler crabs set by the Department in regulation does not apply to crabs imported into Maryland during the closed season for catching crabs if the person possessing the imported crabs has a certificate of origin.

(e) Once taken, peelers shall be kept separate from other crabs.