Title of Regulation: 4VAC15-320. Fish: Fishing Generally (repealing 4VAC15-320-140).

Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.

Public Hearing Information:

August 22, 2018 - 9 a.m. - Game and Inland Fisheries, 7870 Villa Park Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23228

Public Comment Deadline: July 28, 2018.

Agency Contact: Aaron Proctor, Regulations Coordinator, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 7870 Villa Park Drive, Suite 400, Henrico, VA 23228, telephone (804) 367-8341, or email aaron.proctor@dgif.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The proposed amendments repeal the requirement for a permit to conduct a striped bass tournament to relieve an administrative burden from both the public and the department since tournament frequency is low enough that concerns of overfishing fisheries or of overcrowding public ramps are not an issue and data from these tournaments are no longer being collected by the department.

4VAC15-320-140. Permits required for striped bass fishing rodeos; etc. (Repealed.)

No person shall organize, conduct, supervise, or solicit entries for striped bass fishing tournaments, rodeos, or other striped bass fishing events on the inland waters of this Commonwealth, for which prizes are offered, awarded, or accepted, either in money or other valuable considerations, without having applied for and obtained a permit from the department to do so. Exercising a due regard for the distribution, local abundance, economic value, breeding habits, and natural growth potential of striped bass in the affected public water, the director is authorized on behalf of the board to issue or deny permits pursuant to this section, and to establish such special rules for each tournament as may be deemed necessary, after consulting with the state fish biologist and with the approval of the board's fish committee as designated from time to time by the chairman. Failure to comply with all special rules and other provisions of any permit issued pursuant to this section may be deemed grounds for denying the permittee a permit for a similar event to be held within three years from the date of such failure of compliance.