- A. It shall be unlawful for any person, unless he has been issued a permit by the Commission pursuant to subsection B, to (i) take or catch clams through the use of a hydraulic dredge or (ii) have on board his boat a hydraulic dredge designed for harvesting seafood.
- B. The Commission may issue a permit authorizing the possession and use of a (i) hydraulic dredge for the purpose of (a) transiting state waters or (b) conducting legitimate aquaculture research and (ii) handheld hydraulically operated device for harvesting cultured clams from leased grounds.
- C. Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (ii) of subsection A, a person may have on board his boat a hydraulic dredge designed for harvesting seafood when traveling to or from docks for maintenance or repair of the boat or equipment, or when off-loading catches made in federal waters.
- D. The Commission and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science may possess and use hydraulic dredges to take and catch shellfish on an experimental basis.
- E. Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.
1981, c. 138, § 28.1-128.01; 1992, c. 836; 2001, c. 377; 2015, c. 675.