- A. On-bottom container size shall not exceed four feet by four feet by one foot.
B. On-bottom containers shall not be solid walled, but shall be constructed of a mesh material of sufficient size not to restrict water flow.
- 1. Mesh size shall not be less than one inch measured diagonally across the longest axis of square, rectangular, or diamond shaped mesh nor less than one-inch diameter for circular mesh.
- 2. Construction material shall be nontoxic and not retard shellfish pumping rates.
- 3. On-bottom containers shall be frequently cleaned and maintained in such a manner that fouling does not accumulate to the degree that water flow through the on-bottom container is impeded or fill line markers are obscured.
- C. On-bottom container height (excluding any legs or skids) shall be no greater than 12 inches. The on-bottom container shall be marked permanently on the inside surface supporting the shellfish at the six-inch level (measured from the bottom) around the entire circumference of the cage in such manner as to be clearly visible.
D. Each container, as described in subsection A of this section, shall be fitted with skids or legs to hold the on-bottom container off the bottom and constructed in a manner that will not restrict water flow under the container.
- 1. Skids shall be no smaller than four inches by four inches; legs shall be no shorter than four inches.
- 2. Skids or legs may be larger to ensure that the container does not rest on the bottom, but cannot be so large as to place the container at a depth that could constitute a hazard to navigation.
- E. Access to each container shall be designed so that it can be secured with a standard Marine Resources Commission seal so that the container cannot be opened without breaking the seal.
Statutory Authority
§ 28.2-201 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR450-01-0042 § 3, eff. April 1, 1987; amended, Virginia Register Volume 6, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 1990; Volume 11, Issue 22, eff. July 1, 1995; Volume 16, Issue 19, eff. May 15, 2000.