Virginia § 28.2-524 - Taking oysters or clams in certain areas; limitations

§ 28.2-524. Taking oysters or clams in certain areas; limitations

The Commission, in order to protect and promote the oyster or clam fishery, may open and close the following areas, or any parts thereof, for the taking of oysters or clams or prescribe the manner, method, size, and season of oyster or clam catch:

1. That portion of Pocomoke Sound and Tangier Sound contained within the boundaries of a line commencing at buoy "A" on the Commonwealth of Virginia and State of Maryland line, thence 114° true 2.17 miles to Long Point, thence 137° true 3.40 miles to beacon number "2" off Ebb Point, thence 208° true 2.15 miles to beacon number "2" off Halfmoon Point, thence 216° true 1.78 miles to beacon number "11" off Deep Creek, thence 285° true 2.67 miles to beacon number "1" off Camp Island, thence 238° true 1.77 miles to beacon number "6" off Beach Island, thence 155° true 2.75 miles to beacon number "2" off Chesconessex Creek, thence 223° true 2.49 miles to beacon number "1" off Ware Point, thence 275° true 3.13 miles to bell buoy number R "2," thence 276° true 7.08 miles to can buoy number C "34," thence 049° true 3.09 miles to can buoy number C "1," thence 049° true 1.73 miles to Tangier Island Light House, thence 011° true 2.70 miles to beacon number "3" off Tangier Island, thence 319° true 0.62 miles to beacon number "1" off Tangier Island, thence 332° true 3.15 miles to mean low-water mark on North East point on Fishbone Island, thence 005° true 2.68 miles to mean low-water mark on south end of Horse Hammock, thence following mean low water northerly to the State of Maryland and the Commonwealth of Virginia line, thence, following the Maryland and Virginia state boundary line back to the point of beginning.

The Commission shall also have authority over the area as contained within the boundaries of a line commencing at buoy "A" on the Commonwealth of Virginia and State of Maryland line; thence, in a northeasterly direction approximately 1.74 miles along the said Virginia-Maryland line to a point which is approximately 260 feet northeast of buoy "C" on said line; thence, in a southwesterly and southern direction along the eastern boundary line of Public Ground No. 12 and Public Ground No. 13 approximately 1.73 miles to the northern line of the Fisheries Management Area running from buoy "A" to Long Point; thence, in a northwesterly direction approximately 1.07 miles to buoy "A" and point of beginning.

2. That portion of Chesapeake Bay between Smith Point and Windmill Point contained within the boundaries of a line commencing at Smith Point Lighthouse, thence southerly through a line of nun buoys numbered "C79," "C77," "C73," "C71," "C69," "C67," "C65," to a beacon designated BR "R," all as they are now positioned or as they may be subsequently repositioned by the United States Coast Guard, thence northwesterly to Windmill Point Lighthouse, thence continuing northwesterly along a sector line to the mean low-water line on Windmill Point, thence northerly along the mean low-water line around Fleets Island to a point which is south of a beacon numbered 5M, thence north to the beacon numbered 5M, thence northeasterly to a beacon numbered 6M"B," thence northerly to corner 4 of Public Ground No. 28, thence along the western and northern line of Public Ground No. 28 through corners 3, 2 and 1 to corner 8 thereof, thence northeasterly to corner 1 of Public Ground No. 29, thence along the western and northern line of Public Ground No. 29 through corner 4 thereof to an intersection point of Public Ground No. 29 and Public Ground No. 117, thence northerly to the mean low-water line on Bull Neck, thence northerly along the mean low-water line to Smith Point, thence southeasterly to Smith Point Lighthouse, the point of beginning.

3. That portion of Piankatank River contained within the boundaries of a line commencing at the southern-most point of Stove Point; thence, in a southeasterly direction to the extreme northwestern-most point of Gwynn Island known as Cherry Point; thence, in a southwesterly direction along the shoreline of Gwynn Island to the No. 3 light at the mouth of Narrows Point; thence, in a northwesterly direction to No. 10 light at Stove Point; thence, in a northeasterly direction to Stove Point and the point of beginning.

1978, c. 85, §§ 28.1-128.1, 28.1-128.3, 28.1-128.4; 1981, cc. 52, 63; 1982, c. 77; 1984, cc. 224, 242; 1992, c. 836.