4 Va. Admin. Code § 20-490-40 - Recreational harvest limitations and gear restrictions
A. Recreational fishing vessels are allowed a
maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding
smooth dogfish, per trip, regardless of the number of people on board the
vessel. In addition, each recreational vessel angler may possess one bonnethead
and one Atlantic sharpnose per trip. The possession aboard a vessel of more
than one recreationally permitted shark, excluding smooth dogfish, or the
possession of more than one Atlantic sharpnose shark or one bonnethead shark,
per person, shall constitute a violation of this regulation. When fishing from
any boat or vessel where the entire catch is held in a common hold or
container, the possession limits for Atlantic sharpnose shark or bonnethead
shark shall be for the boat or vessel and shall be equal to the number of
persons on board legally eligible to fish, plus one additional recreationally
permitted shark. The captain or operator of the boat or vessel shall be
responsible for any boat or vessel possession limits.
B. A recreational shore angler is allowed a
maximum possession limit of one recreationally permitted shark, excluding
smooth dogfish, per calendar day. In addition, a recreational shore angler may
harvest one additional bonnethead and one additional Atlantic sharpnose per
calendar day. The possession of more than one recreationally permitted shark,
excluding smooth dogfish, or the possession of more than one bonnethead and one
Atlantic sharpnose, by any person, shall constitute a violation of this
regulation.
C. It shall be unlawful
for any person to possess any recreationally prohibited shark.
D. It shall be unlawful for any person to
possess any recreationally permitted shark landed under the recreational
harvest limitations described in this section that is less than 54 inches in
fork length except as described in subdivisions 1 and 2 of this subsection:
1. It shall be unlawful for any person to
possess any recreationally caught great hammerhead, scalloped hammerhead, or
smooth hammerhead shark that is less than 78 inches in fork length.
2. Atlantic sharpnose, bonnethead, finetooth,
blacknose, and smooth dogfish sharks are exempt from the recreational size
limit described in this subsection.
E. It shall be unlawful for any person to
take, harvest, land, or possess any blacktip, bull, great hammerhead, lemon,
nurse, scalloped hammerhead, smooth hammerhead, spinner or tiger shark from May
15 through July 15 of any calendar year.
F. All sharks must have heads, tails and fins
attached naturally to the carcass. Anglers may gut and bleed the carcass as
long as the head and tail are not removed. Filleting any shark is prohibited
until that shark is offloaded at the dock or on shore.
G. It shall be unlawful for any person
fishing recreationally to take any shark using any gear other than handline or
rod and reel.
H. Any person fishing
recreationally for sharks shall use non-offset, corrodible, non-stainless steel
circle hooks except when fishing with flies or artificial lures.
Notes
Statutory Authority: § 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.
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