                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

PROHIBITED AREA FOR PATENT TONGS; PENALTY (§ 28.2-508)

It is unlawful for any person to use or employ patent tongs to take or catch
oysters from the public rocks, beds, or shoals in the following areas:

1. In the Piankatank River and its tributaries above a line beginning at the
extreme westernmost point on a wooden jetty (point &#8220;A&#8221;) on the south
property line of lot 9-A owned by E. B. Bottom and lot 8-A of Gwynn&#8217;s
Island Estate subdivision, Mathews County (Deed Book 55; page No. 279), said
point located north 57&#xB0; 07&#8242;, west 176.00 feet from the east side of
said lot 8-A and 9-A. Said point is located on the extreme northwest section of
Gwynn&#8217;s Island known as Cherry Point, Mathews County; thence 71&#xB0;
00&#8242; west approximately 10,140 feet, to a survey point known as the Stove
R, located on the extreme south end of Stove Point, Middlesex County; thence
north 38&#xB0; 00&#8242; east approximately 14,960 feet to point
&#8220;X,&#8221; or the east gable of hotel, located on the extreme easternmost
point of Stingray Point, Middlesex County. This area is to include all of
Piankatank River and its tributaries from Cherry Point of Gwynn&#8217;s Island
to Stove Point in Middlesex County, and all of the area of Jackson Creek and its
tributaries from Stove Point to Stingray Point;

2. In the Rappahannock River and its tributaries, above a line drawn from the
southernmost point of Belle Island, which line begins at latitude 37&#xB0;
46&#8242; 37&#8243; north, longitude 76&#xB0; 35&#8242; 40&#8243; west; thence
south 27&#xB0; 47&#8242; 25.82&#8243; west 14,292.65 feet to the easternmost
point of Punchbowl Point, which is located at latitude 37&#xB0; 44&#8242;
32&#8243; and longitude 76&#xB0; 37&#8242; 03&#8243; west;

3. Beginning on the south shore of the James River at Pig Point, located at the
east mouth of Nansemond River opposite the westernmost tank of two tanks on Pig
Point; thence in a northerly direction to a light at the extreme north end of
abandoned Pig Point pier; thence in a northerly direction to a fish trap buoy
designated as N &#8220;H11&#8243; located on the northeast side of the Fish Trap
Reservation; thence in a northwest direction along the northeast boundary of the
Fish Trap Reservation along a line of buoys designated as C &#8220;1&#8243; and
C &#8220;H15&#8243;; buoy C &#8220;H15&#8243; being located on the east side of
an area set aside in subdivision 5 of this section prohibiting the use of patent
tongs in James River; thence following in a southwest direction along the area
described in subdivision 5 of this section to Cooper&#8217;s Creek, located on
the south side of James River in Isle of Wight County. In addition to this
described area, the use of patent tongs shall be prohibited in Batten Bay and
its tributaries, Chuckatuck Creek and its tributaries, and Nansemond River and
its tributaries;

4. In the Mobjack Bay and its tributaries above a line beginning at Bush Point
on the south side of the mouth of the Severn River, Gloucester County; thence in
a northeasterly direction across the mouth of the Severn River to Seven Cedar
Point; thence in a southeasterly direction to buoy S &#8220;1&#8243;; thence in
an east southeasterly direction to a point of land on the northwest side of the
mouth of Pepper Creek in Mathews County;

5. In the James River and its tributaries above a line drawn from Cooper&#8217;s
Creek in Isle of Wight County on the south side of James River to a line in a
northeasterly direction across James River to the Newport News municipal water
tank located on Warwick Boulevard between 59th Street and 60th Street in the
City of Newport News;

6. In the Corrotoman River above a line beginning at point on Corrotoman Point,
which line begins at latitude 37&#xB0; 39&#8242; 56&#8243; north, longitude
76&#xB0; 28&#8242; 21&#8243; west; thence north 70&#xB0; 02&#8242; 46.79&#8243;;
thence west 4,338.37 feet to a point on Millenbeck Point which is located at
latitude 37&#xB0; 40&#8242; 10&#8243; north and longitude 76&#xB0; 29&#8242;
12&#8243; west. This line, as described, is to include all of the Corrotoman
River and its tributaries from Corrotoman Point to Millenbeck Point.
			A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

HISTORY: Code 1950, §§ 28-93, 28-93.1, 28-93.2; 1954, c. 38; 1958, cc. 182,
476; 1960, c. 517; 1962, c. 406, § 28.1-83; 1968, c. 747; 1978, c. 208; 1980,
c. 325; 1981, c. 52; 1986, c. 254; 1992, c. 836.