                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

UNLAWFUL TO TAKE OR ATTEMPT TO TAKE, POSSESS, SELL OR TRANSPORT FISH EXCEPT AS
PERMITTED (§ 29.1-531)

A. 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.

B. 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.

C. In Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Campbell, Halifax,
Amelia (except between Vaughn&#8217;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. 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.

E. 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 &#xA7; 29.1-553.

F. A violation of the provisions of subsections A through D shall constitute a
Class 2 misdemeanor.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 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.