REGULATION: PERTAINING TO SHEEPSHEAD

VIRGINIA MARINE RESOURCES COMMISSION
“PERTAINING TO SHEEPSHEAD”
REGULATION 4 VAC 20-1110-10 ET SEQ.


PREAMBLE


This chapter establishes recreational and commercial limitations on the harvest and landings of sheepshead in Virginia.

This chapter is promulgated pursuant to authority contained in §28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia. The effective date of this chapter is May 1, 2007.

4 VAC 20-1110-10. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this chapter is to conserve and protect sheepshead stocks in Virginia waters. 

4 VAC 20-1110-20. DEFINITIONS.

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

"Commercial Fishing" or "fishing commercially" or "commercial fishery" means fishing by any person where the catch is for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose, or is intended for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose.

"Recreational fishing" or "fishing recreationally" or "recreationally fishing" means fishing by any person, whether licensed or exempted from licensing, where the catch is not for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose, or is not intended for sale, barter, trade, or any commercial purpose.

"Sheepshead" means any fish of the species Archosargus probatocephalus.

4 VAC 20-1110-30. RECREATIONAL HARVEST AND POSSESSION LIMIT.

A. The recreational harvest, landing and possession limit, for sheepshead, as described in Section 4 VAC 20-1110-20, shall be 4 fish. It shall be unlawful, for any person, to recreationally harvest, land or possess more than 4 sheepshead, within or without Virginia tidal waters. When fishing from any boat or vessel, where the entire catch is held in a common hold or container, the possession limit, for sheepshead, shall be for the boat or vessel and shall be equal to the number of persons on board legally eligible to fish multiplied by 4. The captain or operator of the boat or vessel shall be responsible for any boat or vessel possession limits.

4 VAC 20-1110-40. COMMERCIAL LIMITATIONS.

A. It shall be unlawful, for any vessel, to land, in Virginia, more than 500 pounds of sheepshead, as described in Section 4 VAC 20-1110-20, per day. 

B. It shall be unlawful to transfer harvest at sea.

4 VAC 20-1110-50. PENALTY.

As set forth in §28.2-903 of the Code of Virginia, any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class 3 misdemeanor, and a second or subsequent violation of any provision of this chapter committed by the same person, within 12 months of a prior violation, is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

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