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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>83052</law_id><section_number>29.1-571</section_number><catch_line>Definition</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>29.1-576.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="29.1">Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="5">Wildlife and Fish Laws</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="7">Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species Act</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>&#x201C;Nonindigenous aquatic <span class="dictionary">nuisance species</span>&#x201D; means a nonindigenous aquatic freshwater animal species whose presence in state waters poses or is likely to pose a significant threat of harm to (i) the diversity or abundance of any species indigenous to state waters; (ii) the ecological stability of state waters; or (iii) the commercial, industrial, agricultural, municipal, recreational, aquacultural, or other beneficial uses of state waters. Nonindigenous aquatic <span class="dictionary">nuisance species</span> shall include the zebra mussel, quagga mussel, and all species of snakehead fishes of the family Channidae.</p></section></text><history>2003, c. 446.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
