Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-720. Pertaining to Restrictions on Oyster Harvest (amending 4VAC20-720-80).

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

Effective Date: March 24, 2016.

Agency Contact: Jennifer Farmer, Regulatory Coordinator, Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, VA 23607, telephone (757) 247-2248, or email jennifer.farmer@mrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendment allows payment of the oyster resource user fee to use one or more gear types only by (i) those harvesters who previously paid an oyster resource user fee and (ii) beginning May 1, 2016, those persons who wish to obtain an oyster hand tong license for the purpose of harvesting seed oysters.

4VAC20-720-80. Quotas and harvest limits.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid commercial fisherman's registration license and a valid gear license required by harvest area, as described in 4VAC20-720-75, and has not paid the current year's oyster resource user fee to harvest or possess any oysters for commercial purposes. Any individual who possesses the valid licenses and has paid the oyster resource user fee as described in this subsection shall be limited to a maximum harvest of eight bushels per day. It shall be unlawful for any vessel to exceed a daily vessel limit of 24 bushels clean cull oysters harvested from the areas described in 4VAC20-720-40 B 8 through 16.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid commercial fisherman's registration license and a valid gear license required by harvest area, as described in 4VAC20-720-75, and has not paid the current year's oyster resource user fee to harvest or possess any oysters for commercial purposes. Any individual who possesses the valid licenses and has paid the oyster resource user fee as described in this subsection shall be limited to a maximum harvest of eight bushels per day. It shall be unlawful for any vessel to exceed a daily vessel limit for clean cull oysters harvested from the areas described in 4VAC20-720-40 B 2 through 7 and 17, whereby that vessel limit shall equal the number of registered commercial fisherman licensees on board the vessel who hold a valid gear license and who have paid the oyster resource user fee multiplied by eight.

C. It shall be unlawful for any vessel to exceed a daily vessel limit for clean cull oysters harvested from the areas described in 4VAC20-720-40 B 1, whereby that vessel limit shall equal the number of registered commercial fisherman licensees on board the vessel who hold a valid gear license and who have paid the oyster resource user fee multiplied by 12. It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid commercial fisherman's registration license and hold a valid gear license required by harvest area, as described in 4VAC20-720-75, and has not paid the current year's oyster resource user fee to harvest or possess any oysters for commercial purposes. Any individual who possesses the valid licenses and has paid the oyster resource user fee as described in this subsection shall be limited to a maximum harvest of 12 bushels per day.

D. It shall be unlawful for any vessel to exceed a daily vessel limit for clean cull oysters harvested from the areas described in 4VAC20-720-40 B 18, whereby that vessel limit shall equal the number of registered commercial fisherman licensees on board the vessel who are licensed by a valid gear license and have paid the oyster resource user fee, multiplied by eight. It shall be unlawful for any person who does not possess a valid commercial fisherman's registration license and a valid gear license required by harvest area, as described in 4VAC20-720-75, and has not paid the current year's oyster resource user fee to harvest or possess any oysters for commercial purposes. Any individual who possesses the valid licenses and has paid the oyster resource user fee, as described in this subsection, shall be limited to a maximum harvest of eight bushels per day.

E. Beginning February 23, 2016, payment of the oyster resource user fee that allows any harvester to use one or more gear types to harvest oysters or possess any bushel limit, as described in this section, shall be limited to those individuals who previously paid an oyster resource user fee. Beginning on May 1, 2016, payment of the oyster resource user fee shall be limited to (i) those individuals who previously paid an oyster resource user fee and (ii) those persons who wish to obtain an oyster hand tong license for the purpose of harvesting seed oysters.

E. F. In the Pocomoke and Tangier Sounds Rotation Area 1, no blue crab bycatch is allowed. It shall be unlawful to possess on board any vessel more than 250 hard clams.