The Virginia Marine Resources Commission invites public comment on the establishment of the regulations, as proposed below.
By June 11, 2013 the proposed draft regulations can be viewed at the Commission offices or on the Commission website at the following address:
http://www.mrc.virginia.gov/calendar.shtm
In accordance with Section 28.2-209 of the Code of Virginia, a public hearing on the proposed regulations will be held at 12:00 noon, on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, at the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia.
Written comments on the proposals should be provided to Robert L. O�Reilly, VMRC Fisheries Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Virginia 23607, by 12:00 p.m., Monday June 24, 2013.
Chapter 4VAC20-270-10 et seq., �Pertaining to Crabbing.�
The Commission, on May 28, 2013, adopted emergency amendments to 4VAC20-270-10 et seq. �Pertaining to Crabbing� to clarify that previously established individual and vessel harvest and possession limits, for the crab pot fishery, in 2013, are daily limits.
These emergency amendments are proposed as parts of a final regulation. The purpose of the proposed amendments is to promote conservation of this resource, while ensuring fishing privileges are fair and equitable among crab pot harvesters.
Chapter 4VAC20-610-10 et seq., �Pertaining to Commercial Fishing and Mandatory Harvest Reporting� and Chapter 4VAC20-200-10 et seq., �Pertaining to the Requirements for Reporting Oyster Transactions and the Payment of
Taxes.�
Both chapters refer to the oyster tax systems that will be nullified and replaced by the oyster resource user fee.
Chapter 4VAC20-200-10 et seq. is proposed to be repealed and a subsection of Chapter 4VAC20-610-10 et seq. that concerns reporting oyster transactions, in accordance with Chapter 4VAC20-200-10 et seq. is proposed to be removed from that chapter.
Both proposals request a July 1, 2013 effective date.
The purpose of the amendments is to remove conflict with existing legislation that becomes effective July 1, 2013.
Chapter 4VAC20-490-10 et seq., �Pertaining to Sharks.�
The Commission proposes to amend Chapter 4VAC20-490-10 et seq., �Pertaining to Sharks� to allow any amount of spiny dogfish landings, from May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2012, reported to federal dealers through the Standard Atlantic Fisheries Information System, to be included as additional eligibility criteria for those individuals previously eligible for Spiny Dogfish Limited Entry Permit.
The purpose of the proposed amendment is to manage the Virginia spiny dogfish landings, from Virginia or federal waters harvest, as a unit stock.
Chapter 4VAC20-450-10 et seq., �Pertaining to the Taking of Bluefish.�
The Commission proposes to amend Chapter 4VAC20-450-10 et seq., �Pertaining to the Taking of Bluefish,� to establish the 2013 commercial bluefish quota as 1,078,179 pounds, and the 2014 commercial bluefish quota as 1,030,419 pounds.
The purpose of this amendment is to comply with the federal and interstate management plans for this species.
The 2012 commercial bluefish quota was 1,225,649 pounds.
VMRC DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES; THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO A DISABILITY, PLEASE ADVISE BETTY WARREN (757-247-2248) NO LATER THAN FIVE WORK DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING DATE AND IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS.
