Public Notice: Pertaining to Various Regulations 2005

Publice Notice: Pertaining to Various Regulations November 2005

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission invites public comment on the proposed amendments to the regulation listed below.

In accordance with §28.2-209 of the Code of Virginia, a public hearing on the proposed amendment will be held at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 at the Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia. Written comments on the proposals should be mailed to Jack Travelstead, VMRC Fisheries Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Virginia 23607, by 5:00 p.m., Monday, December 19, 2005. Copies of the proposed amendments may be reviewed at the Commission Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and may be obtained by calling the Commission at (757) 247-2248.

Regulation 4 VAC 20-910-10 Et Seq., "Pertaining to Scup (Porgy)"

On November 22, 2005 the Commission adopted an Emergency amendment that decreased the commercial possession limit for scup, for the Winter II fishing period (November 1 through December 31), from 3,500 lb per trip to 3,000 lb per trip. The Commission proposes to make this amendment a permanent part of Regulation 4 VAC 20-910-10 et seq. The purpose of this amendment is to achieve compliance with the interstate fishery management plan for scup.

Regulation 4 VAC 20-20-10 Et Seq., "Pertaining to the Licensing of Fixed Fishing Devices"

On November 22, 2005 the Commission adopted an Emergency amendment that exempts pound net fishermen, affected by the federal Rule that prohibits the use of all pound net leaders set with the inland end of the leader greater than 10 horizontal feet from the mean low water line from May 6 through July 15, from the priority rights requirements necessary for renewal of a pound net license. The Commission proposes to make this amendment a permanent part of Regulation 4 VAC 20-20-10 et seq. The purpose for the amendment is to offset federal management measures that may have inhibited normal pound net operations.

Regulation 4 VAC 20-720-10 Et Seq., "Pertaining to Restrictions on Oyster Harvest"

On November 22, 2005 the Commission adopted an Emergency amendment to open to oyster harvest by hand scrape those public oyster grounds of the Coan, Nomini and Yeocomico Rivers that are currently open to oyster harvest by hand tong. The effective date of the opening is December 1, 2005. The Commission proposes to make this amendment a permanent part of Regulation 4 VAC 20-720-10 et seq.

Regulation 4 VAC 20-1040 Et Seq., "Pertaining to Crabbing Licenses"

The Commission proposes to eliminate the requirement that a registered commercial fisherman transfer or sell his boat or vessel to be eligible to transfer his crabbing license to another registered commercial fisherman. The purpose of the amendment is to eliminate an impractical and burdensome provision that insufficiently controls crabbing effort. The Commission will also consider other measures to control crabbing effort.

Regulation 4 VAC 20-900-10 Et Seq., "Pertaining to Horseshoe Crab"

The Commission proposes that licensed conch-pot fishermen who can provide the Commission with evidence of having landed moderate to substantial amounts of channeled whelk in recent years be considered eligible to obtain a Horseshoe Crab Endorsement License that would allow them to harvest and possess aboard a vessel up to 2,000 horseshoe crabs from lawful harvesting areas within Virginia waters. In addition, the Commission proposes that the daily by-catch allowance be increased, from 100 to 500 horseshoe crabs. The purpose of this amendment is to achieve full utilization of the quota.

VMRC DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF A REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION DUE TO A DISABILITY, PLEASE ADVISE DEBORAH CAWTHON (757) 247-2248 NO LESS THAN FIVE WORK DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING AND IDENTIFY YOUR NEED.