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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 4. Conservation And Natural Resources
Agency 20. Marine Resources Commission
Chapter 430. Pertaining to the Marking and Minimum Mesh Size of Gill Nets
12/31/2024

4VAC20-430-65. Maximum mesh size and tending requirements.

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set or fish any gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches in Virginia waters east of the COLREGS Line and north of the North Carolina-Virginia border and south of Wachapreague Inlet (37° 34.6' N) from April 1 through January 14, except as described in 4VAC20-320-65 and 4VAC20-252-135.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set or fish any gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches in Virginia waters east of the COLREGS Line and north of Wachapreague Inlet (37° 34.6' N) and south of Chincoteague (37° 56.0' N) from April 16 through January 14, except as described in 4VAC20-320-65 and 4VAC20-252-135.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set or fish any anchored gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches east of the COLREGS Line and north of the North Carolina-Virginia border and south of the Maryland-Virginia border in Virginia waters from sunset to sunrise from June 1 through October 31 unless that fisherman remains within 0.5 nautical miles of the closest portion of each anchored gill net, except as described in 4VAC20-320-65.

D. Any anchored gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches set east of the COLREGS Line and north of the North Carolina-Virginia border in Virginia waters and south of the Maryland-Virginia border and fished from sunset to sunrise from June 1 through October 31, must be brought back to port with the vessel, except as described in 4VAC20-320-65.

E. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, set or fish any gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches east of the COLREGS Line and north of the North Carolina-Virginia border and south of the Maryland-Virginia border in Virginia waters from sunset to sunrise from November 1 through December 31, except as described in 4VAC20-252-135.

F. Any gill net with a stretched mesh of greater than or equal to seven inches set east of the COLREGS Line and north of the North Carolina-Virginia border and south of the Maryland-Virginia border in Virginia waters and fished from sunset to sunrise from November 1 through December 31, must be brought back to port with the vessel, except as described in 4VAC20-252-135.

G. Mesh measurement is defined as the inside stretched distance between two knots on opposite sides of the same mesh.

Statutory Authority

§§ 28.2-201 and 28.2-236 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 21, Issue 18, eff. May 1, 2005; Errata, 35:1 VA.R. XXX September 3, 2018.

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