CHAPTER: PERTAINING TO THE TAKING OF BLUEFISH

VIRGINIA MARINE RESOURCES COMMISSION
"PERTAINING TO THE TAKING OF BLUEFISH"
CHAPTER 4 VAC 20-450-10 ET SEQ.

PREAMBLE

This chapter is promulgated pursuant to authority contained in §28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia. This chapter amends previous Chapter 4 VAC 20-450-10 et seq., which was adopted March 27, 2007 and effective March 30, 2007. The effective date of this chapter is June 1, 2008.

4 VAC 20-450-10. PURPOSE.

Stock assessment information indicates that bluefish stocks along the Atlantic Coast are fully exploited and show signs of declining abundance. One purpose of this chapter is to control the recreational harvest of bluefish (which constitutes approximately 77% of the fishing coastwide), in cooperation with the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and other coastal states, to prevent overfishing. A second purpose is to establish a commercial quota system for Virginia bluefish landings when the coastwide commercial fishery is projected to equal or exceed 20% of total (recreational and commercial) landings.

4 VAC 20-450-20. BLUEFISH POSSESSION LIMIT.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person fishing with recreational hook and line, rod and reel, spear, gig or other recreational gear to possess more than 10 bluefish. Any bluefish taken after the possession limit of 10 fish has been reached shall be returned to the water immediately.

B. When fishing from a boat or vessel where the entire catch is held in a common hold or container, the possession limit shall be for the boat or vessel and shall be equal to the number of persons on board legally eligible to fish multiplied by 10. The captain or operator of the boat or vessel shall be responsible for any boat or vessel possession limit.

4 VAC 20-450-30. COMMERCIAL LANDINGS QUOTA.

A. During the period of January 1 through December 31, commercial landings of bluefish shall be limited to 1,048,366 pounds.

B. When it is projected that 95% of the commercial landings quota has been realized, a notice will be posted to close commercial harvest and landings from the bluefish fishery within five days of posting.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to harvest or land bluefish for commercial purposes after the closure date set forth in the notice described in subsection B of this section.

4 VAC 20-450-40. PENALTY.

As set forth in §28.2-903 of the Code of Virginia, any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent violation of any provision of this chapter committed by the same person within 12 months of a prior violation is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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