{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/29.1-531.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/29.1-531.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/29.1-531.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/29.1-531.html"}],"law_id":76058,"edition_id":1,"section_id":76058,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-531","catch_line":"Unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell or transport fish except as permitted","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 29-148; 1956, c. 490; 1958, c. 514; 1960, c. 126; 1962, c. 469; 1966, c. 413; 1987, c. 488; 1994, cc. 413, 848; 2000, cc. 403, 447.","full_text":"A\n\nUnless otherwise provided by a regulation of the Board, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take any fish in inland waters other than shad, herring or mullet, except by fishing with a hook and line or rod and reel, held in the hand.B\n\nIt shall be unlawful to catch, trap, take, capture, kill, or attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, receive for transport, export, or import at any time or in any manner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law and only by the means and within the numbers stated.C\n\nIn Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Campbell, Halifax, Amelia (except between Vaughn’s Pond and Meadsville Dam), Caroline and King George Counties, in the City of Danville, and in the Meherrin River in Lunenburg County, it shall be lawful to fish with fish traps, fish pots or haul seines in any streams and waters, provided that no person shall catch fish with fish traps or fish pots or haul seines for commercial purposes. However, it shall be unlawful in such localities to remove from the waters thereof any game fish caught with fish pots, fish traps or haul seines, and any person doing so shall immediately return them to the waters. The Board shall have the authority to close any streams or rivers or parts of streams or rivers in such localities when the waters are stocked with fish by the Department.D\n\nIt shall be lawful to sell or offer to sell trout which have been lawfully acquired, provided such trout have been propagated and raised in a hatchery or by other artificial means. The Board shall by appropriate regulation establish a practical system of identification of trout so offered for sale for table or other uses as directed by the Board.E\n\nIt shall be unlawful to offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, or purchase at any time or in any manner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law and only by the means and within the numbers stated. A violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be punishable as provided in § 29.1-553.F\n\nA violation of the provisions of subsections A through D shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":272975,"text":"Unless otherwise provided by a regulation of the Board, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take any fish in inland waters other than shad, herring or mullet, except by fishing with a hook and line or rod and reel, held in the hand.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":272976,"text":"It shall be unlawful to catch, trap, take, capture, kill, or attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be transported, receive for transport, export, or import at any time or in any manner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law and only by the means and within the numbers stated.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":272977,"text":"In Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Campbell, Halifax, Amelia (except between Vaughn’s Pond and Meadsville Dam), Caroline and King George Counties, in the City of Danville, and in the Meherrin River in Lunenburg County, it shall be lawful to fish with fish traps, fish pots or haul seines in any streams and waters, provided that no person shall catch fish with fish traps or fish pots or haul seines for commercial purposes. However, it shall be unlawful in such localities to remove from the waters thereof any game fish caught with fish pots, fish traps or haul seines, and any person doing so shall immediately return them to the waters. The Board shall have the authority to close any streams or rivers or parts of streams or rivers in such localities when the waters are stocked with fish by the Department.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":272978,"text":"It shall be lawful to sell or offer to sell trout which have been lawfully acquired, provided such trout have been propagated and raised in a hatchery or by other artificial means. The Board shall by appropriate regulation establish a practical system of identification of trout so offered for sale for table or other uses as directed by the Board.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":272979,"text":"It shall be unlawful to offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, or purchase at any time or in any manner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law and only by the means and within the numbers stated. A violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be punishable as provided in § 29.1-553.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":272980,"text":"A violation of the provisions of subsections A through D shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14520,"edition_id":1,"name":"Fishing Laws","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13513,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:29","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:29","permalink":{"id":193175,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14520,"identifier":"3","token":"29.1\/5\/3","url":"\/29.1\/5\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13513,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wildlife and Fish Laws","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12934,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","permalink":{"id":192967,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13513,"identifier":"5","token":"29.1\/5","url":"\/29.1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12934,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating","identifier":"29.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":192277,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12934,"identifier":"29.1","token":"29.1","url":"\/29.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76058,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-531","catch_line":"Unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell or transport fish except as permitted","url":"\/29.1-531\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-531","metadata":false},{"id":77693,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-532","catch_line":"Dams and fishways","url":"\/29.1-532\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-532","metadata":false},{"id":55951,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-533","catch_line":"Prohibition against use of substances injurious to fish","url":"\/29.1-533\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-533","metadata":false},{"id":80020,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-534","catch_line":"Right to fish in interjurisdictional inland waters","url":"\/29.1-534\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-534","metadata":false},{"id":66585,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-535","catch_line":"Reciprocal agreement as to fishing in such waters","url":"\/29.1-535\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-535","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":77693,"structure_id":14520,"section_number":"29.1-532","catch_line":"Dams and fishways","url":"\/29.1-532\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-532","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/29.1-531\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 8 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 1956, chapter 490; in 1958, chapter 514; in 1960, chapter 126; in 1962, chapter 469; in 1966, chapter 413; in 1987, chapter 488; in 1994, chapters 413<\/a> and 848<\/a>; in 2000, chapters 403<\/a> and 447<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":193177,"object_type":"law","relational_id":76058,"identifier":"29.1-531","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-531","url":"\/29.1-531\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/29.1-531\/","token":"29.1\/5\/3\/29.1-531","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful to take or attempt to take, possess, sell or transport fish except as permitted","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 29.1-531","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> Unless otherwise provided by a regulation<\/span> of the Board<\/span>, it shall be unlawful for any person to take or attempt to take any fish in inland waters other than shad, herring or mullet, except by fishing<\/span> with a hook and line or rod and reel, held in the hand. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> It shall be unlawful to catch, trap, take, capture, kill, or attempt to take, capture or kill, possess, deliver for transportation<\/span>, transport, cause to be transported, receive for transport, export, or import at any time or in any manner any species of game fish<\/span>, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law<\/span> and only by the means and within the numbers stated. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> In Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Campbell, Halifax, Amelia (except between Vaughn’s Pond and Meadsville Dam), Caroline and King George Counties, in the City of Danville, and in the Meherrin River in Lunenburg County, it shall be lawful to fish with fish traps, fish pots or haul seines in any streams and waters, provided that no person shall catch fish with fish traps or fish pots or haul seines for commercial purposes. However, it shall be unlawful in such localities to remove from the waters thereof any game fish<\/span> caught with fish pots, fish traps or haul seines, and any person doing so shall immediately return them to the waters. The Board<\/span> shall have the authority to close any streams or rivers or parts of streams or rivers in such localities when the waters are stocked with fish by the Department<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> It shall be lawful to sell or offer to sell trout which have been lawfully acquired, provided such trout have been propagated and raised in a hatchery or by other artificial means. The Board<\/span> shall by appropriate regulation<\/span> establish a practical system of identification of trout so offered for sale for table or other uses as directed by the Board<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> It shall be unlawful to offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, or purchase at any time or in any manner any species of game fish<\/span>, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as specifically permitted by law<\/span> and only by the means and within the numbers stated. A violation of the provisions of this subsection shall be punishable as provided in § 29.1-553<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> A violation of the provisions of subsections A through D shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL TO TAKE OR ATTEMPT TO TAKE, POSSESS, SELL OR TRANSPORT FISH EXCEPT AS\nPERMITTED (\u00a7 29.1-531)\n\nA. Unless otherwise provided by a regulation of the Board, it shall be unlawful\nfor any person to take or attempt to take any fish in inland waters other than\nshad, herring or mullet, except by fishing with a hook and line or rod and reel,\nheld in the hand.\n\nB. It shall be unlawful to catch, trap, take, capture, kill, or attempt to take,\ncapture or kill, possess, deliver for transportation, transport, cause to be\ntransported, receive for transport, export, or import at any time or in any\nmanner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any part thereof, except as\nspecifically permitted by law and only by the means and within the numbers\nstated.\n\nC. In Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Campbell, Halifax,\nAmelia (except between Vaughn’s Pond and Meadsville Dam), Caroline and\nKing George Counties, in the City of Danville, and in the Meherrin River in\nLunenburg County, it shall be lawful to fish with fish traps, fish pots or haul\nseines in any streams and waters, provided that no person shall catch fish with\nfish traps or fish pots or haul seines for commercial purposes. However, it\nshall be unlawful in such localities to remove from the waters thereof any game\nfish caught with fish pots, fish traps or haul seines, and any person doing so\nshall immediately return them to the waters. The Board shall have the authority\nto close any streams or rivers or parts of streams or rivers in such localities\nwhen the waters are stocked with fish by the Department.\n\nD. It shall be lawful to sell or offer to sell trout which have been lawfully\nacquired, provided such trout have been propagated and raised in a hatchery or\nby other artificial means. The Board shall by appropriate regulation establish a\npractical system of identification of trout so offered for sale for table or\nother uses as directed by the Board.\n\nE. It shall be unlawful to offer for sale, sell, offer to purchase, or purchase\nat any time or in any manner any species of game fish, or the carcass or any\npart thereof, except as specifically permitted by law and only by the means and\nwithin the numbers stated. A violation of the provisions of this subsection\nshall be punishable as provided in § 29.1-553.\n\nF. A violation of the provisions of subsections A through D shall constitute a\nClass 2 misdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 29-148; 1956, c. 490; 1958, c. 514; 1960, c. 126; 1962,\nc. 469; 1966, c. 413; 1987, c. 488; 1994, cc. 413, 848; 2000, cc. 403, 447.","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}}