REGULATION: PERTAINING TO TILEFISH AND GROUPERS

VIRGINIA MARINE RESOURCES COMMISSION
“PERTAINING TO TILEFISH AND GROUPERS”
EMERGENCY CHAPTER 4 VAC 20-1120-10 ET SEQ.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Provisions of this emergency regulation are in addition to the restrictions found in the full version of this regulation. Click here to see the provisions of the full regulation.

PREAMBLE

This emergency chapter establishes recreational and commercial limitations on the harvest and landings of Tilefish and Groupers in Virginia.

This emergency chapter is promulgated pursuant to authority contained in §§28.2-201, 28.2-210 of the Code of Virginia. This emergency chapter amends and re-adopts, as amended, previous Chapter 4 VAC 20-1120-10 et seq. which was promulgated April 24, 2007 and made effective on May 1, 2007. The effective date of this emergency chapter is May 29, 2007.

4 VAC 20-1120-20. DEFINITIONS.

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Commercial Fishing" or "fishing commercially" or "commercial fishery" means fishing by any person where the catch is for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose, or is intended for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose.

"Grouper" means any of the following species:

Black grouper, Mycteroperca bonaci
Coney, Cephalopholis fulva
Gag grouper, Mycteroperca microlepis
Goliath grouper, Epinephelus itajara
Graysby, Cephalopholis cruentata
Misty grouper, Epinephelus mystacinus
Nassau grouper, Epinephelus striatus
Red grouper, Epinephelus morio
Red Hind, Epinephelus guttatus
Rock Hind, Epinephelus adscensionis
Scamp, Mycteroperca phenax
Snowy grouper, Epinephelus niveatus
Speckled Hind, Epinephelus drummondhayi
Tiger grouper, Mycteroperca tigris
Warsaw grouper, Epinephelus nigritus
Wreckfish, Polyprion americanus
Yellowedge grouper, Epinephelus flavolimbatus
Yellowfin grouper, Mycteroperca venenosa
Yellowmouth grouper, Mycteroperca interstitialis

"Recreational fishing" or "fishing recreationally" or "recreationally fishing" means fishing by any person, whether licensed or exempted from licensing, where the catch is not for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose, or is not intended for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose.

"Tilefish" means any of the following species:

Blueline tilefish, Caulolatilus microps
Golden tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
Sand tilefish, Malacanthus plumieri

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