Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-490. Pertaining to Sharks (amending 4VAC20-490-44).

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

Effective Date: December 23, 2009.

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

Summary:

The amendment makes it unlawful to transfer any spiny dogfish limited entry permit after November 23, 2009.

4VAC20-490-44. Spiny dogfish limited entry permit and permit transfers.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to take, catch, possess, or land any spiny dogfish without first having obtained a spiny dogfish limited entry permit from the Marine Resources Commission. Such permit shall be completed in full by the permittee who shall keep a copy of that permit in his possession while fishing for or selling spiny dogfish. Permits shall only be issued to Virginia registered commercial fishermen meeting either of the following criteria:

1. Shall have documented on Virginia mandatory harvest reporting forms harvest from a legally licensed, movable gill net for an average of at least 60 days from 2006 through 2008, and a minimum harvest of one pound of spiny dogfish at any time from 2006 through 2008.

2. Shall have documented on Virginia mandatory reporting forms harvests that total greater than 10,000 pounds of spiny dogfish in any one year from 2006 through 2008.

B. A spiny dogfish limited entry permittee may only transfer that permit to another Virginia registered commercial fisherman. The transferor and the transferee shall have documented any prior fishing activity on Virginia mandatory reporting forms and shall not be under any sanction by the Marine Resources Commission for noncompliance with the regulation. Transfers must be approved by the commissioner, or his designee, and are permanent. The permanent transfer authorizes the transferee to possess a spiny dogfish limited entry permit, and the transferor shall lose his eligibility for that spiny dogfish limited entry permit. It is unlawful to transfer any spiny dogfish limited entry permit after November 23, 2009.