Virginia Marine Resources Commission VMRC FIP Registration Buy Fishing License Cobia Reporting Requirements 2021 Recreational Species Permits (Cobia, February Black Sea Bass) Who Needs A Cobia Permit A limited number of no-cost, recreational species permits are available here for direct issue. You may also visit one of our Authorized Agents to obtain your recreational species permits. Oyster Aquaculture Shellfish Permits are not available below. Please note that recreational species permits are most often required in addition to regular licensing. Please visit our license requirements page to more fully understand what licenses are required to fish in Virginia saltwater areas. These permits are valid for the 2021 calendar year and must be renewed each year. The permits with a prerequisite requirement must have the prerequisite license purchased at a VMRC authorized agent before the recreational species permit can be issued here. For individuals fishing for any of the permitted species from a recreational vessel, the captain or operator of the vessel must possess the appropriate species permit and report for everyone aboard. All of the permits below require reporting of all fishing trips for permitted species, even if no fish were caught. If no trips were taken for species of a given permit, it is required to report “no activity” at the end of the season. The reporting regulations are outlined in their entirety in regulation as well as the email you will receive as part of the permitting process. No recreational species permits are available for issue at this time.