MD Swordfish and Billfish Landing Reports

2022 Maryland Catch Card Census Program

The department and National Marine Fisheries Service designed a Catch Card Census program to monitor recreational landings of bluefin tuna,
swordfish, billfishes, and sharks. This mandatory reporting program uses a catch card and tag for all bluefin tuna, swordfish, blue marlin, white
marlin, roundscale spearfish, sailfish, and sharks (except spiny dogfish) recreationally landed in Maryland.
• The vessel owner must have a valid Atlantic highly
migratory species permit from the National Marine
Fisheries Service to fish for or keep bluefin tuna, swordfish,
billfishes, or sharks in Federal waters. A person with a highly
migratory species permit for their vessel cannot use that
permit on a different vessel.
• Anglers are required by regulation to complete the
appropriate catch card(s), which are available from
reporting stations or online; return the completed card(s) to
a reporting station in the Ocean City area to obtain a landing
tag. This tag must be affixed to the bluefin tuna, swordfish,
billfish, or shark prior to its removal from the vessel. Bluefin
tuna, swordfish, billfishes, or sharks on board trailered
vessels are required to have the tag affixed to the fish before
the vessel is removed from the water. If you land a shark
from the beach please visit the nearest reporting station for
a card and tag. The kiosk only has cards available and the
detachable receipt replaces the tag. Anglers must keep the
receipt and drop the completed card in the locked mailbox.
The kiosk at the Colonel Jack Taylor Boathouse is to be used
only after reporting stations are closed.
• Completing a catch card is fast because most information
can be copied from your highly migratory species permit.
PDFs of the catch cards are available online at dnr.
maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/coastal/tagging.aspx.
You can fill it out on the way to the reporting station to get
your tag and save time. Please do not forget to report your
live and dead releases on the catch cards. There is no
penalty for dead releases. If turning in several catch cards for
the same vessel/species per day, please fill in the releases
on only one card per species. This information meets a
reporting requirement to the International Commission for
the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas.

Reporting Station Information
Station

Address

City

Phone

Billfishes / Bluefin
Sharks
Swordfish Tuna

X

X

X
X
X
X
X

(410) 213-1121

X

X

X

Business Hours

Ocean Pines

(410) 641-2248

X

X

X

Business Hours

12911 Sunset Ave.

Ocean City

(410) 213-9600

X

X

X

Business Hours

311 Talbot St.

Ocean City

(410) 289-9125

X

X

X

Business Hours

Ocean City

(410) 289-6470

X

X

X

Business Hours

Ocean City

(410) 213-1531

X

X

X

After
Business Hours

Alltackle

12826 B Ocean Gateway

Ocean City

(410) 213-2840

Atlantic Tackle

12930 Sunset Ave.

Ocean City

Bahia Marina
Buck's

2107 Herring Way
11848 Assateague Rd.

Ocean City
Berlin, MD

Fisherman's Marina
12806 Sunset Ave.
Ocean City Fishing
12940 Inlet Isle Lane West
Center
Pines Point Provisions
869 Yacht Club Drive
and Seafood

Ocean City

(410) 213-0421
(410) 289-7438
(443) 513-4661
(410) 213-2478

Ocean City

Sunset Marina
Talbot Street Pier &
Marina
White Marlin Marina

205 Somerset St.
Maryland Department Colonel Jack Taylor Boathouse
of Natural Resources 12917 Harbor Road

X
X
X

X
X
X

Time

Business Hours
Business Hours
Business Hours
Business Hours
Business Hours

The NOAA Fisheries Atlantic HMS Compliance Guides, identification and catch and release information is available online:
www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-fishery-compliance-guides.

Dusky, sandbar, and many other sharks are prohibited. If you cannot identify the species, let it go in the water.
While retention of shortfin makos is still allowed as of April 1, 2022, changes to the regulations are forthcoming to implement
the recent ICCAT recommendation. Individuals should monitor the Atlantic HMS website
(https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species) under Notices and Rules for updates.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Fishing and Boating Services
Tawes State Office Building, 580 Taylor Avenue, B-2
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-8300 | 800-688-3467

The facilities and services of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources are available
to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin
or physical or mental disability.
This document is available in alternative format upon request.

02/2022