In accordance with §28.2-209 of the Code of Virginia, a public
hearing on the proposed amendments will be held at 12:00 Noon on
Tuesday, September 26, 2006 at the Marine Resources Commission, 2600
Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia. Written comments on
the proposals should be mailed to Jack Travelstead, VMRC Fisheries
Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News,
Virginia 23607, by 5:00 p.m., Monday, September 25, 2006. Copies
of the proposed amendments may be reviewed at the Commission Monday
through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and may be obtained by calling
the Commission at (757) 247-2248.
I. Regulation
4 VAC 20-20-10 Et Seq., “Pertaining to the Licensing of Fixed
Fishing Devices.”
The proposed amendments would exempt licensed pound net fishermen,
located in the National Marine Fisheries Service Modified Pound Net
Leader Area, from requirements to fish their pound nets or establish a
complete system of nets and poles, in order to renew their licenses or
maintain their priority rights to such locations in 2007.
The purpose for the amendment is to offset federal management measures
that prevented normal pound net operations through the end of June 2006.
II. Regulation 4 VAC 20-1090-10 Et Seq., “Pertaining to Licensing Requirements and License Fees”
The proposed amendment clarifies that the fees established for 2006 for
commercial and recreational fishing licenses will continue in effect
until such time the Commission establishes new fees. The Code of
Virginia (§ 28.2-201.4) establishes that increases in license fees
can occur no more frequently than every three years. The
Commission will not consider changes in the fees for any license at
this time.
III.
Regulation 4 VAC 20-610-10 Et Seq., “Pertaining to
Commercial Fishing and Mandatory Harvest Reporting”
Two amendments are proposed. The first requires applicants for a
Commercial Fisherman Registration License to provide a 911 address, if
different than their mailing address. The second amendment
requires withholding of the renewal of a Commercial Fisherman
Registration License from any fisherman with delinquent mandatory
harvest reports or any outstanding reporting compliance issue.
IV. 4 VAC 20-720-10, Et. Seq., "Pertaining to Restrictions on Oyster Harvest," for the 2006-2007 Public Oyster Harvest Season.
The following amendments are proposed:
B. The time of day restriction for harvesting oysters
from private oyster grounds is between one hour prior to sunrise and
11:00 a.m. in the months of May and September; and, between one hour
prior to sunrise and 9 a.m. in the months of June, July and
August. During the months of May through September the harvest
vessel shall have shading over the storage area for the oysters.
C. Harvesting of shellfish from the public oyster
grounds and unassigned grounds in areas opened to hand scrape in the
Rappahannock River, James River, Upper Chesapeake Bay, York River, and
Nomini River Area, shall be by hand scrape only.
D. The catch limit for the areas described in A3,
above, shall be reduced from 12 bushels per Registered Commercial
Fisherman Licensee to 8 bushels per Registered Commercial Fisherman
Licensee.
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VMRC DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES;
THEREFORE, IF YOU ARE IN NEED OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS DUE TO A
DISABILITY, PLEASE ADVISE DEBORAH CAWTHON (757) 247-2248 NO LATER THAN
FIVE WORK DAYS PRIOR TO THE MEETING DATE AND IDENTIFY YOUR NEEDS.