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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>72149</law_id><section_number>18.2-146.2</section_number><catch_line>Interference with commercial fishing vessels or activity; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Crimes Against Property</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Damage to and Tampering With Property</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">commercial fishing activity</span>&#x201D; means the business of extracting fish, bivalves, or crustaceans from waters for sale or resale. <a id="paragraph-259924" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-146.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who knowingly and intentionally interferes with or impedes the operation or <span class="dictionary">commercial fishing activity</span> of a commercial fishing vessel within the territorial waters of the Commonwealth is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-259925" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-146.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under this section is a bar to <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Impeding lawful fishing in inland waters; penalty" href="/29.1-554.1/">29.1-554.1</a>. <a id="paragraph-259926" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-146.2/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Any person convicted of a first <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under this section shall be ineligible for any license issued under Chapter 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="License application to fish with certain nets" href="/28.2-300/">28.2-300</a> et seq.) of Title 28.2 or Chapter 3 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Unlawful to hunt, trap or fish without license" href="/29.1-300/">29.1-300</a> et seq.) of Title 29.1 for a period of one year. Any person convicted of a second or subsequent <span class="dictionary">offense</span> under this section shall be ineligible for any such license for a period of three years. <a id="paragraph-259927" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-146.2/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> In addition to any other penalties provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be ordered to complete boating safety education as described in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Boating safety education required; Board to promulgate regulations" href="/29.1-735.2/">29.1-735.2</a>. <a id="paragraph-259928" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-146.2/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2024, c. 403.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
