{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/28.2-503.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/28.2-503.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/28.2-503.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/28.2-503.html"}],"law_id":79421,"edition_id":1,"section_id":79421,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-503","catch_line":"License for taking clams with tongs","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 28-137; 1960, c. 517; 1962, c. 406, \u00a7 28.1-120; 1964, c. 393; 1966, c. 684; 1970, c. 726; 1979, c. 274; 1991, c. 285; 1992, cc. 246, 836; 1993, c. 238.","full_text":"The license for taking clams, by ordinary or patent tongs, shall entitle the holder to take only clams from the public bottoms in the waters of the Commonwealth but not from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals or from leased oyster grounds. Such a license does not permit the taking of oysters. The Commission may authorize the taking of clams from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals of (i) the lower York River below the patent tong line and (ii) that area in the Poquoson River contained within Public Ground Tract No. 1 and Public Ground Tract No. 9, west of a line connecting York Point and Hunt’s Point and northeast of a line connecting Hunt’s Point and survey Station “Spit” when it determines that commercial quantities of oysters are not present and are not likely to return due to the presence of oyster diseases. However, the Commission shall annually review the conditions in the area designated under clause (ii) to determine whether to authorize the taking of clams.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":284509,"text":"The license for taking clams, by ordinary or patent tongs, shall entitle the holder to take only clams from the public bottoms in the waters of the Commonwealth but not from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals or from leased oyster grounds. Such a license does not permit the taking of oysters. The Commission may authorize the taking of clams from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals of (i) the lower York River below the patent tong line and (ii) that area in the Poquoson River contained within Public Ground Tract No. 1 and Public Ground Tract No. 9, west of a line connecting York Point and Hunt’s Point and northeast of a line connecting Hunt’s Point and survey Station “Spit” when it determines that commercial quantities of oysters are not present and are not likely to return due to the presence of oyster diseases. However, the Commission shall annually review the conditions in the area designated under clause (ii) to determine whether to authorize the taking of clams.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14190,"edition_id":1,"name":"Licenses","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13617,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:47:12","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:47:12","permalink":{"id":191217,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14190,"identifier":"1","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1","url":"\/28.2\/II\/5\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13617,"edition_id":1,"name":"Oysters and Clams","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12814,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:23","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:23","permalink":{"id":191215,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13617,"identifier":"5","token":"28.2\/II\/5","url":"\/28.2\/II\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12814,"edition_id":1,"name":"Tidal Fisheries","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12813,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":190673,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12814,"identifier":"II","token":"28.2\/II","url":"\/28.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12813,"edition_id":1,"name":"Fisheries and Habitat of the Tidal Waters","identifier":"28.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":190589,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12813,"identifier":"28.2","token":"28.2","url":"\/28.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":64760,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-500","catch_line":"Residency and certain oyster licenses","url":"\/28.2-500\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-500","metadata":false},{"id":85639,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-501","catch_line":"Application for license to take or catch oysters or clams","url":"\/28.2-501\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-501","metadata":false},{"id":71530,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-502","catch_line":"License fees for taking oysters or clams in tidal waters","url":"\/28.2-502\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-502","metadata":false},{"id":79421,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-503","catch_line":"License for taking clams with tongs","url":"\/28.2-503\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-503","metadata":false},{"id":55370,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-504","catch_line":"License fee graduated; penalty","url":"\/28.2-504\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-504","metadata":false},{"id":69135,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-505","catch_line":"Sale of shells to Commission","url":"\/28.2-505\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-505","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":71530,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-502","catch_line":"License fees for taking oysters or clams in tidal waters","url":"\/28.2-502\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-502","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":55370,"structure_id":14190,"section_number":"28.2-504","catch_line":"License fee graduated; penalty","url":"\/28.2-504\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-504","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/28.2-503\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 9 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 517; in 1962, chapter 406; in 1964, chapter 393; in 1966, chapter 684; in 1970, chapter 726; in 1979, chapter 274; in 1991, chapter 285; in 1992, chapters 246 and 836; in 1993, chapter 238.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":191231,"object_type":"law","relational_id":79421,"identifier":"28.2-503","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-503","url":"\/28.2-503\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/28.2-503\/","token":"28.2\/II\/5\/1\/28.2-503","dublin_core":{"Title":"License for taking clams with tongs","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 28.2-503","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The license for taking clams, by ordinary or patent tongs, shall entitle the holder to take only clams from the public bottoms in the waters of the Commonwealth but not from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals<\/span> or from leased oyster grounds. Such a license does not permit the taking of oysters. The Commission<\/span> may authorize the taking of clams from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals<\/span> of (i) the lower York River below the patent tong line and (ii) that area in the Poquoson River contained within Public Ground Tract No. 1 and Public Ground Tract No. 9, west of a line connecting York Point and Hunt’s Point and northeast of a line connecting Hunt’s Point and survey Station “Spit” when it determines that commercial quantities of oysters are not present and are not likely to return due to the presence of oyster diseases. However, the Commission<\/span> shall annually review the conditions in the area designated under clause (ii) to determine whether to authorize the taking of clams.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLICENSE FOR TAKING CLAMS WITH TONGS (\u00a7 28.2-503)\n\nThe license for taking clams, by ordinary or patent tongs, shall entitle the\nholder to take only clams from the public bottoms in the waters of the\nCommonwealth but not from the public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals or from\nleased oyster grounds. Such a license does not permit the taking of oysters. The\nCommission may authorize the taking of clams from the public oyster rocks, beds,\nand shoals of (i) the lower York River below the patent tong line and (ii) that\narea in the Poquoson River contained within Public Ground Tract No. 1 and Public\nGround Tract No. 9, west of a line connecting York Point and Hunt’s Point\nand northeast of a line connecting Hunt’s Point and survey Station\n“Spit” when it determines that commercial quantities of oysters are\nnot present and are not likely to return due to the presence of oyster diseases.\nHowever, the Commission shall annually review the conditions in the area\ndesignated under clause (ii) to determine whether to authorize the taking of\nclams.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 28-137; 1960, c. 517; 1962, c. 406, \u00a7 28.1-120; 1964, c.\n393; 1966, c. 684; 1970, c. 726; 1979, c. 274; 1991, c. 285; 1992, cc. 246, 836;\n1993, c. 238.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}