Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-252. Pertaining to the Taking of Striped Bass (amending 4VAC20-252-130).

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

Effective Date: November 2, 2016.

Agency Contact: Alicia Nelson, Fisheries Management, Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, VA 23607, telephone (757) 247-8155, or email alicia.nelson@mrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments streamline the striped bass buyer reporting requirements by modifying the required information and eliminating the call-in system.

4VAC20-252-130. Entry limits, permits, and reports.

A. There is established a special permit for engaging in either the Chesapeake area commercial fishery for striped bass or the coastal area commercial fishery for striped bass, and it shall be unlawful for any person to engage in either commercial fishery for striped bass without first having obtained the permit from the commission and meeting the following conditions:

1. The person shall be a licensed registered commercial fisherman.

2. The person shall have reported all prior fishing activity in accordance with 4VAC20-610 and shall not be under any sanction by the Marine Resources Commission for noncompliance with the regulation.

B. Permits for the commercial harvest of striped bass in the Chesapeake area or coastal area shall be issued to any registered commercial fishermen holding striped bass quota shares issued under the provisions of 4VAC20-252-150 and 4VAC20-252-160.

C. Permits shall be in the possession of the permittee while catching, harvesting, selling or possessing striped bass. Failure to have the appropriate permit in possession shall be a violation of this chapter.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person, business, or corporation, except for licensed restaurants, to purchase from the harvester any quantity of striped bass greater than 10 pounds in total weight taken from Virginia's tidal waters for the purpose of resale without first obtaining a striped bass buyer's permit from the commission, except as described in subsection E of this section. Such permit shall be completed in full by the permittee and kept in possession of the permittee while selling or possessing striped bass. Failure to have the appropriate permit in possession shall be a violation of this chapter.

E. Restaurants shall not be required to obtain a striped bass buyer's permit from the commission but shall be required to certify and maintain a record of any striped bass purchased from any harvester for a period of not less than one year.

F. All permitted commercial harvesters of striped bass shall report to the commission in accordance with 4VAC20-610. In addition to the reporting requirements of 4VAC20-610, all permitted commercial harvesters of striped bass shall record and report daily striped bass harvest by specifying the number of tags used on striped bass harvested for each day in either the Chesapeake area or coastal area and reporting the daily total whole weight of striped bass harvested in either the Chesapeake area or coastal area. Daily striped bass tag use on harvested striped bass and daily total whole weight of harvested striped bass from either the Chesapeake area or coastal area, within any month, shall be recorded on forms provided by the commission and shall accompany the monthly catch report submitted no later than the fifth day of the following month.

G. Any permitted commercial harvester of striped bass who self markets his striped bass to a restaurant, individual, or out-of-state market shall be required to prepare a receipt describing each sale greater than 10 pounds in total weight. Each receipt shall be a record and report of the date of transaction, name and signature of buyer, address and phone number of buyer, number and total weight of striped bass sold, and name and signature of harvester. Copies of each receipt shall be forwarded to the commission in accordance with 4VAC20-610.

H. Any buyer permitted to purchase striped bass harvested from Virginia tidal waters shall provide written reports to the commission of daily purchases and harvest information on forms provided by the Marine Resources Commission. Such information shall include the date of the purchase, buyer's and harvester's striped bass permit numbers name, and harvester's Commercial Fisherman Registration License number. In addition, for each different purchase of striped bass harvested from Virginia waters, the buyer shall record the gear type, water area fished, city or county of landing, weight of whole fish, and number and type of tags (Chesapeake area or coastal area) that applies to that harvest. These reports shall be completed in full and submitted monthly to the Marine Resources Commission no later than the fifth day of the following month. In addition, during the month of December, each permitted buyer shall call the Marine Resources Commission interactive voice recording system on a daily basis to report his name and permit number, date, pounds of Chesapeake area striped bass purchased and pounds of coastal area striped bass purchased.

I. Failure of any person permitted to harvest, buy, or sell striped bass, to submit the required written report for any fishing day shall constitute a violation of this chapter.