REGULATION: PERTAINING TO SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREAS

EMERGENCY CHAPTER: PERTAINING TO SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREAS

IMPORTANT NOTE: Provisions of this emergency regulation are in addition to or supercede the restrictions found in the full version of this regulation. Both versions should be considered to correctly interpret the regulation. Click here to see the provisions of the full regulation.

VIRGINIA MARINE RESOURCES COMMISSION
"PERTAINING TO SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREAS"
EMERGENCY REGULATION 4 VAC 20-560-10 ET. SEQ.

PREAMBLE

This emergency chapter establishes shellfish management areas, clam broodstock management areas and shellfish relay areas, with provisions to control the harvest of clams from those areas. This emergency chapter is promulgated pursuant to the authority contained in 壯 28.2-201, 28.2-210 and 28.2-503 of the Code of Virginia. This emergency chapter amends and re-adopts, as amended, Chapter 4 VAC 20-560-10 et seq. which was adopted on April 25, 2006 and made effective on April 28, 2006. The effective dates of this emergency chapter, as amended, are May 1, 2009 through May 30, 2009.

4 VAC 20-560-20. SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT AREAS.

A. The lawful season for the harvest of clams by patent tong from the York River Shellfish Management Area shall be August 15 through November 30.

B. The lawful season for the harvest of clams by patent tong from the Poquoson River Shellfish Management Area shall be March 15 through May 1.

C. The lawful season for the harvest of clams by patent tong from the Back River Shellfish Management Area shall be January 1 through March 31.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to harvest clams by patent tong from either the York River, Poquoson River, or Back River Shellfish Management Area except as provided in subsections A, B, and C of this section.

E. The lawful season for the harvest of clams by patent tong from the Newport News Shellfish Management Area shall be December 1 through May 30, except that if the catch of clams per tong-hour for the previous season is less than 174 clams per tong-hour, the lawful season shall be December 1 through March 31.

F. It shall be unlawful for any person to harvest clams by patent tong from the Newport News Shellfish Management Area from May 31 through November 30, except that if the catch of clams per tong-hour for the previous season is less than 174 clams per tong-hour, it shall be unlawful for any person to harvest clams by patent tong from the Newport News Shellfish Management Area from April 1 through November 30.

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