4 Va. Admin. Code § 15-340-70 - Eel pots for taking American eels for personal use
A. The director may issue, deny, modify,
suspend, or revoke annual eel pot permits for American eels designated for
personal use. Such permits shall authorize the taking of American eels for
personal use only (not for sale) with eel pots from waters designated in this
section. Such permits shall be valid so long as the harvest of eels in the
Commonwealth is not prohibited by other state or federal law or
regulation.
B. It shall be unlawful
for a permit holder to possess elvers.
C. It shall be unlawful for permit holders
fishing eel pots to take any species other than American eels.
D. It shall be unlawful to place, set, or
fish any eel pot that has a mesh less than 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch and does not
contain at least one unrestricted 4-inch by 4-inch escape panel of 1/2-inch by
1-inch mesh. Buoys of all pots set must be marked by permanent means with the
permit holder's name, address, and phone number.
E. American eels may be taken with eel pots
in Back Bay and its natural tributaries (not including Lake Tecumseh and Red
Wing Lake) and North Landing River and its natural tributaries from the North
Carolina line to the Great Bridge locks.
F. It shall be unlawful for any permit holder
to possess more than 25 eels daily. When fishing from a boat or vessel where
the entire catch is held in a common hold or container, the daily possession
limit shall be for the boat or vessel and shall be equal to the number of
permit holders on board multiplied by 25. The captain or operator of the boat
or vessel shall be responsible for any boat or vessel possession limit. Any eel
taken after the daily possession limit has been reached shall be returned to
the water immediately. Possession of any quantity of eels that exceeds the
daily possession limit described in this subsection shall be presumed to be for
commercial purposes.
G. For the
purposes of this section, the term "elver" shall mean any American eel of less
than nine inches in total length.
Notes
Statutory Authority: §§ 29.1-103, 29.1-501, and 29.1-502 of the Code of Virginia.
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