Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-252. Pertaining to the Taking of Striped Bass (amending 4VAC20-252-60, 4VAC20-252-80).

Statutory Authority: §§ 28.2-201 and 28.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Dates: March 30, 2015, through April 29, 2015.

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.

Preamble:

The amendments establish the coastal area and Chesapeake area trophy-size striped bass minimum possession size limit of 36 inches total length.

4VAC20-252-60. Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fisheries.

A. The open season for the Bay Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 1 through June 15, inclusive; however, the season may be adjusted as set forth in subsection G of this section.

B. The area open for the Bay Spring Trophy-size fishery Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, except the spawning reaches of the James, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, and Rappahannock Rivers.

C. The open season for the Coastal Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 1 through May 15, inclusive; however, the season may be adjusted as set forth in subsection G of this section.

D. The area open for the Coastal Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery is the coastal area as described in 4VAC20-252-20.

E. The minimum size limit for the fisheries described in this section shall be 32 36 inches total length.

F. The possession limit for the fisheries described in this section shall be one fish per person.

G. The Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size fisheries, combined with the fishery defined by 4VAC20-252-70, shall have a target take of 30,000 total fish coming from both the Virginia and Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay and any tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, and includes the area under the jurisdiction of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. The season for this fishery shall be closed when it is determined that this total target has been reached.

H. G. It shall be unlawful for any person, 16 years of age or older, participating in the Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size striped bass recreational fisheries to fail to obtain a Spring Recreational Striped Bass Trophy Permit from the commission prior to any participation, except when fishing from a legally licensed headboat or charter boat.

I. H. It shall be unlawful for any spring recreational striped bass trophy permittee or any charter boat striped bass permittee to fail to report the take, harvest, or possession of any trophy-size striped bass, as described in subsection E of this section, on forms provided by the commission by the 15th day after the close of the Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size striped bass recreational fisheries. The report requirements shall be as follows:

1. Any spring recreational striped bass trophy permittees or charter boat striped bass permittees shall provide the permittee name, commission permit identification number, the date of any harvest, the water body where the trophy-size striped bass was caught, number of trophy-size striped bass kept or released, and the length of each trophy-size striped bass kept or released. Any weight information on any kept or released trophy-size striped bass may be provided voluntarily by the permittees.

2. Any spring recreational striped bass trophy permittees or charter boat striped bass permittees who did not participate in the Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size striped bass recreational seasons shall notify the commission of their lack of participation by the 15th day after the close of the Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size striped bass recreational seasons on forms provided by the commission.

J. I. It shall be unlawful for any permittee, as described in 4VAC20-252-50 H and subsection H G of this section, to fail to report either the harvest of trophy-size striped bass or no harvest activity within 15 days of the closing of the Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size striped bass recreational seasons.

4VAC20-252-80. Bay Spring/Summer Striped Bass Recreational Fishery.

A. The open season for the Bay Spring/Summer Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 16 through June 15 inclusive.

B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

C. The minimum size limit for this fishery shall be 18 inches total length, and the maximum size limit for this fishery shall be 28 inches total length, except as provided in subsection E of this section.

D. The possession limit for this fishery shall be two fish per person.

E. The possession limit described in subsection D of this section may consist of one trophy-size striped bass 32 36 inches or greater, which is subject to the provisions of subsections A, B, E, F, and G and H of 4VAC20-252-60.