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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 4. Conservation And Natural Resources
Agency 20. Marine Resources Commission
Chapter 1270. Pertaining to Atlantic Menhaden
12/30/2024

4VAC20-1270-40. Purse seine menhaden bait sector; limited entry criteria; individual transferable quota system; and season.

A. To qualify for limited entry to the purse seine menhaden bait sector, the person or entity shall fulfill one of the following requirements:

1. Have held a purse seine license in 2011 and landed menhaden in Virginia in 2009, 2010, and 2011, while using purse seine gear to harvest menhaden in one of those three years;

2. Have provided the Marine Resources Commission (commission) receipts and landings reports or other requested reports as proof of landings and gear usage to demonstrate that the criteria described in subdivision 1 of this subsection have been met; or

3. Have received a valid transfer of purse seine menhaden bait sector quota pursuant to subsection C of this section.

B. The commission shall establish an individual transferable quota (ITQ) system for each purse seine menhaden bait licensee who meets the limited entry requirements in subsection A of this section. The quota for this sector will be allocated according to each qualified ITQ holder's individual percentage share of the 2023 purse seine menhaden bait sector quota.

C. Any person or entity with an individual percentage share of the purse seine menhaden bait sector quota, as provided in subsection B of this section, may transfer purse seine menhaden bait sector quota to any person or entity. The transfer of purse seine menhaden bait sector quota by permanent percentage shareholders may be temporarily, within the same year only, or permanently transferred and shall be documented on a form provided by the commission, notarized by a lawful notary public, and approved by the Commissioner of Marine Resources (commissioner) or the commissioner's designee. Temporary percentage shareholders are not eligible to transfer purse seine menhaden bait sector quota to another entity or person except back to the original permanent shareholder the quota was received from.

D. Any person or entity with an individual percentage share of the purse seine menhaden bait sector quota, temporary or permanent, shall purchase a current Purse Seine Menhaden Bait Sector License before harvesting any purse seine menhaden bait sector quota. Only a person or entity with an individual percentage share of purse seine menhaden bait sector quota may purchase a Purse Seine Menhaden Bait Sector License.

E. It shall be unlawful for any person or entity without an individual share of the purse seine menhaden bait sector quota and a current Purse Seine Menhaden Bait Sector License to harvest any menhaden by purse seine for bait. It shall be unlawful for any Purse Seine Menhaden Bait Sector Licensee to harvest any menhaden from the purse seine menhaden bait sector once that licensee no longer possesses any unused purse seine menhaden bait sector quota for that year.

F. The season for vessels with a gross weight of less than 70 tons that use purse seine nets to take or catch menhaden for purposes other than use as fish meal or oil shall be from the first Monday in March up to, but not including, the first Monday in May.

Statutory Authority

§ 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 29, Issue 17, eff. April 1, 2013; amended, Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 19, eff. May 1, 2020; Volume 40, Issue 24, eff. June 30, 2024.

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