Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-490. Pertaining to Sharks (amending 4VAC20-490-42, 4VAC20-490-46).

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

Effective Date: July 31, 2017.

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 amendments reduce the commercial spiny dogfish landings quota and streamline the buyer reporting process.

4VAC20-490-42. Spiny dogfish commercial quota and catch limitations.

A. For the 12-month period of From May 1, 2016, of the current calendar year through April 30, 2017 of the following calendar year, the spiny dogfish commercial spiny dogfish landings quota shall be limited to 4,356,944 4,220,814 pounds.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, or possess aboard any vessel or to land in Virginia any spiny dogfish harvested from federal waters for commercial purposes after it has been announced that the federal quota for spiny dogfish has been taken.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, harvest, or possess aboard any vessel or to land in Virginia more than 5,250 pounds of spiny dogfish per day for commercial purposes. However, if landings are less than 80% of the quota specified in subsection A of this section, by February 15, 2017, it shall be unlawful to take, harvest, or possess aboard any vessel or to land in Virginia more than 6,000 pounds of spiny dogfish per day for commercial purposes.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to harvest or to land in Virginia any spiny dogfish for commercial purposes after the quota specified in subsection A of this section has been landed and announced as such.

E. Any spiny dogfish harvested from state waters or federal waters, for commercial purposes, shall only be sold to a federally permitted dealer.

F. It shall be unlawful for any buyer of seafood to receive any spiny dogfish after any commercial harvest or landing quota described in this section has been attained and announced as such.

4VAC20-490-46. Spiny dogfish monitoring requirements.

A. Any Virginia seafood buyer purchasing spiny dogfish shall provide written reports to the Marine Resources Commission of weekly landings for each registered commercial fisherman to include that commercial fisherman's registration license number and exact weight of the spiny dogfish landed, in pounds, until it is projected and announced that 80% of Virginia spiny dogfish quota has been landed.

B. When it has been projected and announced by the Marine Resources Commission that 80% of the Virginia spiny dogfish quota has been landed, each Virginia seafood buyer shall call the Marine Resources Commission's interactive voice recording system on a daily basis to report the daily landings for each registered commercial fisherman to include the commercial fisherman's registration license number and exact weight of spiny dogfish landed received or purchased, in pounds, until it is projected and announced that the Virginia spiny dogfish quota has been landed and the fishery closed.