Title of Regulation: 4VAC20-950. Pertaining to Black Sea Bass (amending 4VAC20-950-20, 4VAC20-950-47, 4VAC20-950-48, 4VAC20-950-48.2).

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

Effective Date: February 24, 2011.

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:

This amendment (i) establishes the 2011 commercial black sea bass directed fishery quota as 302,216 pounds, and the 2011 commercial black sea bass bycatch fishery quota as 40,000 pounds; (ii) establishes the criteria for individual fishery quota for 2011; and (iii) defines "land" or "landing" as entering the port, beginning to offload, or offloading finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, or other marine seafood.

4VAC20-950-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meaning unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Black sea bass" means any fish of the species Centropristis striata.

"Land" or "landing" means to (i) enter port with finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, or other marine seafood on board any boat or vessel; (ii) begin offloading finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, or other marine seafood; or (iii) offload finfish, shellfish, crustaceans, or other marine seafood.

4VAC20-950-47. Commercial harvest quotas.

A. The 2010 2011 commercial black sea bass directed fishery quota is 311,722 302,216 pounds. When it has been announced that the directed fishery quota has been projected as reached and the directed fishery has been closed, it shall be unlawful for any directed commercial black sea bass fishery permittee to possess aboard any vessel or land in Virginia any black sea bass.

B. The 2010 2011 commercial black sea bass bycatch fishery quota is 40,000 pounds from January 1 through April 30. From May 1 through December 31, 2010, the commercial black sea bass bycatch fishery quota is the lesser of 10,000 pounds or the remaining amount of black sea bass bycatch fishery quota as of May 1, 2010. When it has been announced that the bycatch fishery quota has been projected as reached and the bycatch fishery has been closed, it shall be unlawful for any bycatch commercial black sea bass fishery permittee to possess aboard any vessel or land in Virginia any black sea bass. In the event the bycatch fishery quota is exceeded, the amount the quota overage shall be deducted from the following year's bycatch fishing quota.

4VAC20-950-48. Individual fishery quotas; bycatch limit; at sea harvesters; exceptions.

A. Each person possessing a directed fishery permit shall be assigned an individual fishery quota, in pounds, for each calendar year. Except as provided in subsection F of this section, a person's individual fishery quota shall be equal to that person's percentage of the total landings of black sea bass in Virginia from July 1, 1997, through December 31, 2001, multiplied by the directed commercial fishery black sea bass quota for the calendar year. Any directed fishery permittee shall be limited to landings in the amount of his individual fishery quota, in pounds, in any calendar year and it shall be unlawful for any permittee to exceed his individual fishery quota. In addition to the penalties prescribed by law, any overages of an individual's fishery quota shall be deducted from that permittee's individual fishery quota for the following year.

B. In the determination of a person's percentage of total landings, the commission shall use the greater amount of landings from either the National Marine Fisheries Service Dealer Weigh-out Reports or National Marine Fisheries Service Vessel Trip Reports that have been reported and filed as of November 26, 2002. If a person's percentage of the total landings of black sea bass is determined by using the Vessel Trip Reports as the greater amount, then the person shall provide documentation to the Marine Resources Commission to verify the Vessel Trip Reports as accurate. This documentation may include dealer receipts of sales or other pertinent documentation, and such documentation shall be submitted to the commission by December 1, 2004. In the event the commission is not able to verify the full amount of the person's Vessel Trip Reports for the qualifying period, the commission shall use the greater amount of landings, from either the Dealer Weigh-Out Reports or the verified portion of the Vessel Trip Reports to establish that person's share of the quota.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person permitted for the bycatch fishery to possess aboard a vessel, or to land in Virginia, in any one day, more than 200 pounds of black sea bass, except that any person permitted in the bycatch fishery may possess aboard a vessel, or land in Virginia, more than 200 pounds of black sea bass, in any one day, provided the total weight of black sea bass on board the vessel does not exceed 10%, by weight, of the total weight of summer flounder, scup, Loligo squid and Atlantic mackerel on board the vessel. When it is projected and announced that 75% of the bycatch fishery quota has been be taken, it shall be unlawful for any person permitted for the bycatch fishery to possess aboard a vessel, or to land in Virginia, more than 100 pounds of black sea bass do any of the following:

1. Possess aboard a vessel or land in Virginia more than 200 pounds of black sea bass, in any one day, except as provided in subdivision 2 of this subsection;

2. Possess aboard a vessel or land in Virginia more than 1,000 pounds of black sea bass, in any one day, provided that the total weight of black sea bass on board the vessel does not exceed 10%, by weight, of the total weight of summer flounder, scup, Loligo squid, and Atlantic mackerel on board the vessel; or

3. Possess aboard a vessel or land in Virginia more than 100 pounds of black sea bass, when it is projected and announced that 75% of the bycatch fishery quota has been taken.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer black sea bass from one vessel to another while at sea.

E. Any hardship exception quota granted by the commission prior to October 27, 2009, shall be converted to a percentage of the directed fishery quota based on the year in which that hardship exception quota was originally granted. The hardship exception quota shall not be transferred for a period of five years from the date the commission granted that hardship exception quota.

F. An individual fishery quota, as described in subsection A of this section, shall be equal to an individual's current percentage share of the directed fishery quota, as described in 4VAC20-950-47 A. As of May 1, 2010, should the remaining amount of black sea bass bycatch fishery quota exceed 10,000 pounds, that excess quota shall be allocated to commercial black sea bass directed fishery permit holders who have landed at least 500 pounds of black sea bass in at least two of three years, starting in 2006 and ending in 2008. The basis for that allocation shall be the same as used to determine an individual directed fishery quota as described in subsection A of this section.

4VAC20-950-48.2. Alternate vessel authorization requirements.

A. Any person possessing a directed fishery permit may authorize an alternate vessel to harvest, possess and land any portion of his individual fishery quota, provided the following conditions are met:

1. The directed fishery permit holder has submitted a completed and notarized alternate vessel authorization form to the commission.

2. The alternate vessel named on the authorization form holds a federal Black Sea Bass Moratorium Permit and that alternate vessel either holds a Virginia Seafood Landing License or the that alternate vessel's owner and operator holds a Commercial Fisherman Registration License.

3. The alternate vessel authorization has been accepted and approved by the commissioner.

4. The alternate vessel maintains copies of the alternate vessel authorization form and the permit of the directed fishery quota owner at all times while serving as the alternate vessel.

B. No authorization for an alternate vessel to land black sea bass shall extend for more than 60 days from the date the commissioner approves the authorization. After 60 days, any unused portion of quota authorized for the alternate vessel shall revert to its directed fishery permit holder.