Our Mission: The Marine Resources Commission serves as stewards of Virginia's marine and aquatic resources, and protectors of its tidal waters and homelands, for present and future generations.
Did You Know?
The Marine Resources Commission is a State Agency with approximately 150 Employees. We are
headquartered in Newport News, Virginia and have been established since
1875.
We are comprised of four divisions: Marine Police, Fisheries
Management, Habitat Management, and Administration and Finance.
Click here to learn more
November 19, 2009: VDH Emergency Shellfish Closure - Emergency Closure Number 210E, covering selected
tributary areas of the Chesapeake Bay has been revised; the closure is now in
fewer areas and the closure period has been extended through December 2, 2009.
<Closure
Notice>
November 9, 2009: The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has
received 665 bids from commercial crabbers, in a license buyback program aimed
at reducing harvest pressure on the Bay's blue crab population as efforts
continue to rebuild the stock. The agency has $6.7 million in federal crab
disaster fund to spend in the so-called reverse auction, and the bids totaled
$30.4 million. Decisions on which bids to accept will be made over the
next few weeks. Once accepted, a crabbing license will be permanently
retired. <Blue Crab
Buy-Back Bid Summary>
November 5, 2009: A new state record for blueline tilefish has been set. A 35-inch long beauty weighing more than 23 pounds was landed by Michael Adkins of Sutherland, and was certified as a new state record by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission's Saltwater Fishing Tournament. This is the second Virginia record-setting catch so far in 2009, the other being an almost 15-pound spadefish.<Press Release>
October 29, 2009: The General Assembly has released a report by the Commission that responds to Senate Joint Resolution 397 pertaining to meeting the requirements of the National Saltwater Angler Registry. The report describes options to allow Virginia to participate in the new National Registry after 2009 by providing saltwater recreational fisherman contact data from a revised saltwater licensing system or through an alternate angler registration system. <SJR 397 Report>
October 27, 2009: The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has ordered a Lancaster County restaurant owner to remove a 145-foot long commercial pier that was built without a required permit on the Rappahannock River at the mouth of the Greenvale Creek. Some Commissioners said the owner showed "significant disregard" toward the state's permit requirements that protect valuable natural resources. Also, the Commission rebuffed a request from a waterman's association to open the Greater Wicomico River to oystering next month. Scientists have spent federal and state money on a multi-million dollar, large-scale, man-made oyster reef project that they say is showing signs of creating a thriving ecosystem in the face of diseases that kill oysters. <Commission Meeting Summary>
October 5, 2009: A new, improved Saltwater Angler's Guide has been completed by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
Here you will discover useful tips on fishing, best conservation practices, how to enter our annual saltwater fishing tournament, where to find public boat ramps, the locations of our artificial reefs (they're fish magnets!) and much, much more. Due to state budget constraints, the Angler's Guide will be available online only.
[2009 Saltwater Anglers Guide]
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