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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 4. Conservation And Natural Resources
Agency 20. Marine Resources Commission
Chapter 610. Pertaining to Commercial Fishing and Mandatory Harvest Reporting
12/21/2024

4VAC20-610-20. Definitions.

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

"Agent" means any person who possesses the Commercial Fisherman Registration License, fishing gear license, or fishing permit of a registered commercial fisherman in order to fish that commercial fisherman's gear or sell that commercial fisherman's harvest.

"Blue crab" means any crustacean of the species Callinectes sapidus.

"Clam aquaculture harvester" means any person who harvests clams from leased, subleased, or fee simple ground or any aquaculture growing area, within or adjacent to Virginia tidal waters.

"Clam aquaculture product owner" means any person or firm that owns clams on leased, subleased, or fee simple ground, or any aquaculture growing area within or adjacent to Virginia tidal waters that are raised by any form of aquaculture. This does not include any riparian shellfish gardeners whose activities are authorized by 4VAC20-336, General Permit No. 3 Pertaining to Noncommercial Riparian Shellfish Growing Activities.

"Clam aquaculture product owner vessel" means any vessel, legally permitted through a no-cost permit, by a clam aquaculture product owner, used to transport clam aquaculture harvesters who do not possess an individual Clam Aquaculture Harvester Permit.

"Cobia" means any fish of the species Rachycentron canadum.

"Commercial fisherman" means any person who has obtained a Commercial Fisherman Registration License from the commission.

"Commission" means the Marine Resources Commission.

"Continuing business enterprise" means any business that is required to have a Virginia Seafood Buyer's License or is required to have a business license by county, city, or local ordinance.

"Mandatory Harvest Reporting Program Web Application" means the online web-based resource provided by the commission to report commercial harvest of seafood at https://webapps.mrc.virginia.gov/harvest/.

"Oyster" means any shellfish of the species Crassostrea virginica.

"Oyster aquaculture harvester" means any person who harvests oysters from leased, subleased, or fee simple ground or any aquaculture growing area, within or adjacent to Virginia tidal waters.

"Oyster aquaculture product owner" means any person or firm that owns oysters on leased, subleased, or fee simple ground or any aquaculture growing area within or adjacent to Virginia tidal waters that are raised by any form of aquaculture. This does not include any riparian shellfish gardeners whose activities are authorized by 4VAC20-336, General Permit No. 3 Pertaining to Noncommercial Riparian Shellfish Growing Activities.

"Oyster aquaculture product owner vessel" means any vessel, legally permitted through a no-cost permit, by an oyster aquaculture product owner, used to transport oyster aquaculture harvesters who do not possess an individual oyster aquaculture harvester permit.

"Seafood landing licensee" means any individual who has obtained a Seafood Landing License from the commission.

Statutory Authority

§ 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR450-01-0079 § 2, eff. September 15, 1992; amended, Virginia Register Volume 10, Issue 9, eff. January 1, 1994; Volume 10, Issue 24, eff. July 1, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 17, eff. April 25, 1995; Volume 13, Issue 1, eff. September 1, 1996; Volume 24, Issue 8, eff. December 1, 2007; Volume 26, Issue 9, eff. January 1, 2010; Volume 29, Issue 10, eff. January 1, 2013; Volume 29, Issue 23, eff. July 1, 2013; Volume 36, Issue 21, eff. June 1, 2020; Volume 37, Issue 2, eff. January 1, 2021; Volume 37, Issue 24, eff. January 1, 2022.

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