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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>55539</law_id><section_number>28.2-100</section_number><catch_line>Definitions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>2.2-1157</reference><reference>28.2-1105</reference><reference>28.2-903.1</reference><reference>3.2-2600</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="28.2">Fisheries and Habitat of the Tidal Waters</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">General Provisions Relating to Marine Resources Commission</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Administration</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Commission; Commissioner</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning:
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commission</span>&#x201D; means the Marine Resources <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>&#x201D; means the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> of Marine Resources.
		&#x201C;Fish&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">marine fish</span>&#x201D; means those finfish species which spend a major portion of their lives in marine or estuarine waters. Sunfish, crappies, and carp are not considered to be <span class="dictionary">marine fish</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Fishing</span>&#x201D;, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">fisheries</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">to fish</span>&#x201D; means all operations involved in (i) taking or catching, (ii) using, setting or operating apparatus employed in killing, taking or catching, or (iii) transporting or preparing for market <span class="dictionary">marine fish</span>, shellfish, and <span class="dictionary">marine organisms</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Habitat</span>&#x201D; means those state-owned bottomlands, tidal wetlands and coastal primary sand dunes which are subject to regulation under Subtitle III of this title.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Marine organisms</span>&#x201D; means those species other than marine finfish or <span class="dictionary">marine shellfish</span> which inhabit marine or estuarine waters. Terrapin and marine mammals are considered to be <span class="dictionary">marine organisms</span>.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Marine shellfish</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;shellfish&#x201D; means such species of mollusca as oysters and clams, and such species of crustacea as crabs.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Officer</span>&#x201D; means a member of the Virginia Marine Police.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Territorial sea</span>&#x201D; means the waters within the belt, three nautical miles wide, that is adjacent to Virginia&#x2019;s coast and seaward of the mean low-water mark.
		&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tidewater Virginia</span>&#x201D; means the following counties: Accomack, Arlington, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Essex, Fairfax, Gloucester, Hanover, Henrico, Isle of Wight, James City, King and Queen, King George, King William, Lancaster, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northampton, Northumberland, Prince George, Prince William, Richmond, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Surry, Westmoreland, and York; and the Cities of Alexandria, Chesapeake, Colonial Heights, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Hampton, Hopewell, Newport News, Norfolk, Petersburg, Poquoson, Portsmouth, Richmond, Suffolk, Virginia Beach, and Williamsburg.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 28-1; 1962, c. 406, &#xA7; 28.1-1; 1968, c. 746; 1972, c. 472; 1992, c. 836; 2002, c. 789.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
