Bay & nearshore species
Shared NOAA Mid-Atlantic species directory with Ocean City context. This page opens on bay / nearshore fish. Switch Area to see offshore or the full list. Same cards as the offshore species hub.
Not in our directory yet? Browse the committed Charter Boat Directory listings grid (marketplace crosswalk).
Likelihood stars (Maryland): how likely you are to encounter the species in Maryland waters anglers reach from Ocean City — coastal bays, surf, nearshore wrecks, and the Atlantic out to about 80 miles east — 1 rare/unlikely, 3 occasional or seasonal, 5 common/expected. Not a guarantee for any trip.
Maryland catch regulations: compact size, bag, and season lines from Maryland’s recreational tables (editorial). Always verify current DNR rules before you keep a fish—limits change.
Species guides
Shared NOAA Mid-Atlantic directory (122 profiles). This page opens on Bay / nearshore — change Area to see the full list or the other lane. Each card opens Maryland catch orientation plus NOAA biology.
No species match these filters. Try Area → All areas, or clear search.
Acadian Redfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Almaco Jack
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
American Lobster
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
American Plaice
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Bigeye Tuna
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Blacktip Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Chub Mackerel
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Cod
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Common Thresher Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Deep-Sea Red Crab
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Halibut
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Herring
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Mackerel
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Mahi Mahi
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None
- Bag 10 / day · boat 54
- Season Open year-round
Atlantic Menhaden
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Northern Shrimp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Pollock
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Salmon
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Sea Scallop
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Sharpnose Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Shortfin Mako Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Skipjack Tuna
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Spiny Dogfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Atlantic Striped Bass
Maryland catch regulations
- Size See striped bass section
- Bag See striped bass section
- Season See striped bass section
Atlantic Sturgeon
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Surfclam
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Wahoo
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None
- Bag 2 / day
- Season Open year-round
Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Atlantic Wolffish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Black Grouper
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None (grouper group)
- Bag 1 grouper aggregate
- Season Open year-round
Black Sea Bass
Maryland catch regulations
- Size 13″ (excl. tail filament)
- Bag 15 / day
- Season Seasonal (see DNR)
Blainville's Beaked Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Blue Catfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Blue Crab
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Blue Mussel
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Blue Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Bluefish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size 8″
- Bag Shore/private 5 · For-hire 7
- Season Open year-round
Blueline Tilefish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Follow federal
- Bag Follow federal
- Season Follow federal
Bonnethead Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Brown Rock Shrimp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Brown Shrimp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Bryde’s Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Butterfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Clymene Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Cobia
Maryland catch regulations
- Size 43″ total length
- Bag 1/person or 2/vessel
- Season Jun 15–Sep 20 (C&R off-season)
Common Bottlenose Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Dwarf Sperm Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Eastern Oyster
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Fin Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Finetooth Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Gervais' Beaked Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Giant Manta Ray
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Golden Tilefish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Follow federal
- Bag Follow federal
- Season Follow federal
Gray Seal
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Greater Amberjack
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None (MD snapper complex)
- Bag 10 / day (20 aggregate)
- Season Open year-round
Green Turtle
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Haddock
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Harbor Porpoise
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Harbor Seal
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Harp Seal
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Hooded Seal
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Humpback Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Jonah Crab
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Kemp's Ridley Turtle
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Killer Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Leatherback Turtle
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Loggerhead Turtle
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Longfin Squid
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Long-Finned Pilot Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Melon-Headed Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Minke Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Monkfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
North Atlantic Albacore Tuna
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
North Atlantic Right Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
North Atlantic Swordfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Northeast Multispecies (Groundfish)
Maryland catch regulations
- Size See component stocks
- Bag See component stocks
- Season See component stocks
Northeast Skate Complex
Maryland catch regulations
- Size See component stocks
- Bag See component stocks
- Season See component stocks
Northern Bottlenose Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Northern Quahog
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Ocean Pout
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Ocean Quahog
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Opah
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Pink Shrimp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Pygmy Killer Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Pygmy Sperm Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Red Grouper
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None (grouper group)
- Bag 1 grouper aggregate
- Season Open year-round
Red Hake
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Risso’s Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
River Herring
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Rough-Toothed Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Sandbar Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Scup
Maryland catch regulations
- Size 9″
- Bag 30 / day
- Season Open year-round
Sei Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Short-Beaked Common Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Shortfin Mako Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Shortfin Squid
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Short-Finned Pilot Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Shortnose Sturgeon
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Silver Hake
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Sowerby's Beaked Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Sperm Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Spinner Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Striped Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Sugar Kelp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Summer Flounder
Maryland catch regulations
- Size 16″ (Jan–May) / 17½″ (Jun–Dec)
- Bag 4 / day
- Season Open year-round
True's Beaked Whale
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
White Hake
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
White Shark
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
White Shrimp
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
White-Beaked Dolphin
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Protected — no harvest
- Bag Protected — no harvest
- Season N/A
Windowpane Flounder
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Winter Flounder
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Winter Skate
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Witch Flounder
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Wreckfish
Maryland catch regulations
- Size None (grouper group)
- Bag 1 grouper aggregate
- Season Open year-round
Yellowtail Flounder
Maryland catch regulations
- Size Not listed (no MD species line)
- Bag Not listed (no MD species line)
- Season Not listed
Source directory
This index mirrors the NOAA Fisheries New England/Mid-Atlantic Species Directory . Species facts and imagery are adapted from NOAA profiles; Maryland size/bag lines are editorial orientation—always verify DNR and federal rules before you keep a fish.
Beach Blog on Inshore species
Trip reads written for this hub—pacing and advice, not a second directory.
