The Virginia Marine Resources Commission invites public comment on emergency amendments to the regulation listed below. The emergency amendments were adopted by the Commission, under the authority of 28.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
In accordance with 28.2-209 of the Code of Virginia, a public hearing on the adoption of the proposed emergency amendments as part of the final regulation will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, June 18, 2002, at the Marine Resources Commission, 2600 Washington Avenue, Newport News, Virginia. Written comments on the proposals should be mailed to: Jack Travelstead, VMRC Fisheries Management Division, 2600 Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor, Newport News, Virginia 23607. A copy of the proposed amendments may be reviewed at the Commission during Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the proposed regulations may call the Commission offices at (757) 247-2248.
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS:
The Commission, by emergency action on May 28, 2002 established a 98,000-pound harvest quota for the Coastal area commercial fishery for striped bass (as described below) and closed the 2002 Coastal area commercial fishery for striped bass, effective immediately.
Regulation 4 VAC 20-252-10 et seq., "Pertaining to the Taking of Striped Bass"
4 VAC-20-252-150. COMMERCIAL HARVEST QUOTA; CONVERSION TO STRIPED BASS TAGS.
A. The commercial harvest quota for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and the Potomac River tributaries of Virginia shall be determined annually by the Marine Resources Commission, as specified in this subsection. The total allowable level of all commercial harvest of striped bass for all open seasons and for all legal gear shall be 1,701,748 pounds of whole fish. At such time as the total commercial harvest of striped bass is projected to reach 1,701,748 pounds, and announced as such, it shall be unlawful for any person to land or possess striped bass caught for commercial purposes.
B. The commercial harvest quota for the Coastal area of Virginia shall be determined annually by the Marine Resources Commission, as specified in this subsection. The total allowable level of all commercial harvest of striped bass for all open seasons and for all legal gear shall be 98,000 pounds of whole fish. At such time as the total commercial harvest of striped bass is projected to reach 98,000 pounds, and announced as such, it shall be unlawful for any person to land or possess striped bass caught for commercial purposes.
C. For the purposes of assigning individual shares, for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and the Potomac River tributaries of Virginia, as described in 4 VAC 20-252-160, the commercial harvest quota of striped bass, in pounds, shall be converted to a quota in numbers of fish, based on the estimate of the average weight of striped bass harvested during the previous fishing year. One striped bass tag shall be provided for each striped bass in the total quota, to arrive at the commercial harvest quota of tags.
D. All other applicable laws and regulations for harvesting striped bass shall apply during this time period.
************
لا تميز vmrc لا تميز ضد الأفراد ذوي الإعاقة. إذا كنت بحاجة إلى ترتيبات تيسيرية معقولة بسبب إعاقة، يرجى إبلاغ ديبورا كاوثون (757) 247-2248 قبل موعد الاجتماع بما لا يقل عن خمسة أيام عمل وتحديد حاجتك.
