Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-950. Pertaining to Black Sea Bass (amending 4VAC20-950-48).

Statutory Authority: § 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: November 1, 2009.

Agency Contact: Jane Warren, Agency Regulatory Coordinator, Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Ave., 3rd Floor, Newport News, VA 23607, telephone (757) 247-2248, FAX (757) 247-2002, or email betty.warren@mrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

This amendment requires that any hardship exception quota granted by the commission prior to October 27, 2009, shall be converted to a percentage of the directed fishery quota based on the year in which that hardship exception quota was originally granted.

4VAC20-950-48. Individual fishery quotas; bycatch limit; at sea harvesters; exceptions.

A. Each person possessing a directed fishery permit shall be assigned an individual fishery quota, in pounds, for each calendar year. Except as provided in subsection F of this section, a person's individual fishery quota shall be equal to that person's percentage of the total landings of black sea bass in Virginia from July 1, 1997, through December 31, 2001, multiplied by the directed commercial fishery black sea bass quota for the calendar year. Any directed fishery permittee shall be limited to landings in the amount of his individual fishery quota, in pounds, in any calendar year and it shall be unlawful for any permittee to exceed his individual fishery quota. In addition to the penalties prescribed by law, any overages of an individual's fishery quota shall be deducted from that permittee's individual fishery quota for the following year.

B. In the determination of a person's percentage of total landings, the commission shall use the greater amount of landings from either the National Marine Fisheries Service Dealer Weigh-out Reports or National Marine Fisheries Service Vessel Trip Reports that have been reported and filed as of November 26, 2002. If a person's percentage of the total landings of black sea bass is determined by using the Vessel Trip Reports as the greater amount, then the person shall provide documentation to the Marine Resources Commission to verify the Vessel Trip Reports as accurate. This documentation may include dealer receipts of sales or other pertinent documentation, and such documentation shall be submitted to the commission by December 1, 2004. In the event the commission is not able to verify the full amount of the person's Vessel Trip Reports for the qualifying period, the commission shall use the greater amount of landings, from either the Dealer Weigh-Out Reports or the verified portion of the Vessel Trip Reports to establish that person's share of the quota.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person permitted for the bycatch fishery to possess aboard a vessel, or to land in Virginia, in any one day, more than 200 pounds of black sea bass, except that any person permitted in the bycatch fishery may possess aboard a vessel, or land in Virginia, more than 200 pounds of black sea bass, in any one day, provided the total weight of black sea bass on board the vessel does not exceed 10%, by weight, of the total weight of summer flounder, scup, Loligo squid and Atlantic mackerel on board the vessel. When it is projected and announced that 75% of the bycatch fishery quota has been be taken, it shall be unlawful for any person permitted for the bycatch fishery to possess aboard a vessel, or to land in Virginia, more than 100 pounds of black sea bass.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer black sea bass from one vessel to another while at sea.

E. The commission sets aside 10,000 pounds of the annual commercial fishery black sea bass quota for distribution to all qualified applicants granted an exception by the commission from the requirements of 4VAC20-950-46 B based upon medical conditions, or other hardship, which limited the applicant's ability to fish for black sea bass during the qualifying period. In granting an exception, the commission will give preference to those applicants who can demonstrate the greater levels of participation in the black sea bass fishery during and after the qualifying period or document an apprenticeship or helper status in the black sea bass fishery. Any applicant who is granted an exception by the commission shall receive a portion of the 10,000 pounds; however, no portion shall exceed the lowest individual fishery quota, in pounds, at the beginning of the season. There shall Any hardship exception quota granted by the commission prior to October 27, 2009, shall be converted to a percentage of the directed fishery quota based on the year in which that hardship exception quota was originally granted. The hardship exception quota shall not be no transfer of quota received by applicants to the exception process transferred for a period of five years after receipt of that quota. Any portion of the 10,000 pounds not allotted by the commission to the qualified applicants as of November 1 shall be added to the annual bycatch quota described in 4VAC20-950-47 B from the date the commission granted that hardship exception quota.

F. An individual fishery quota, as described in subsection A of this section, shall be equal to an individual's current percentage share of the directed fishery quota, as described in 4VAC20-950-47 A. As of May 1, 2009, should the remaining amount of black sea bass bycatch fishery quota exceed 10,000 pounds, that excess quota shall be allocated to commercial black sea bass directed fishery permit holders who have landed at least 500 pounds of black sea bass in at least two of three years, starting in 2005 and ending in 2007. The basis for that allocation shall be the same as used to determine an individual directed fishery quota as described in subsection A of this section.