Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 15 - DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES › Chapter 360 - FISH: AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES, AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, AND NONGAME FISH › Section 4VAC15-360-10 - Taking aquatic invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and nongame fish for private use

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
A. Possession
				limits. Except as otherwise provided for in § 29.1-418 of the Code of
				Virginia, 4VAC15-20-130,
				4VAC15-320-40, and the sections of
				this chapter, it shall be lawful to capture and possess live for private use
				and not for sale or export no more than one individual of any native or
				naturalized, as defined in
				4VAC15-20-50, species of amphibian
				or reptile per physical address, and 20 individuals of any single native or
				naturalized (as defined in
				4VAC15-20-50) species of aquatic
				invertebrate and nongame fish unless specifically listed in this subsection:
1. The following species may be taken in
				unlimited numbers from inland waters statewide: carp, mullet, yellow bullhead,
				brown bullhead, black bullhead, flat bullhead, snail bullhead, white sucker,
				northern hogsucker, gizzard shad, threadfin shad, blueback herring (see
				4VAC15-320-25 for anadromous
				blueback herring limits), white perch, yellow perch, alewife (see
				4VAC15-320-25 for anadromous
				alewife limits), stoneroller (hornyhead), fathead minnow, golden shiner,
				goldfish, and Asian clams. Grass carp may only be harvested in unlimited
				numbers from public inland rivers and streams of the Commonwealth. It is
				unlawful to harvest grass carp from any public inland lake and reservoir.
				Anglers taking grass carp must ensure that all harvested grass carp are
				dead.
2. See
				4VAC15-320-25 for American shad,
				hickory shad, channel catfish, white catfish, flathead catfish, and blue
				catfish limits.
3. For the purpose
				of this chapter, "fish bait" shall be defined as native or naturalized species
				of minnows and chubs (Cyprinidae), crayfish, and hellgrammites. The possession
				limit for taking "fish bait" shall be 50 individuals in aggregate, of which no
				more than 20 individuals may be crayfish, unless said person has purchased
				"fish bait" and has a receipt specifying the number of individuals purchased by
				species, except salamanders and crayfish which cannot be sold pursuant to the
				provisions of
				4VAC15-360-60 and
				4VAC15-360-70. However,
				stonerollers (hornyheads), fathead minnows, golden shiners, and goldfish may be
				taken and possessed in unlimited numbers as provided for in subdivision 1 of
				this subsection.
4. Any crayfish
				collected for use as fish bait may only be used as fish bait in the water body
				of capture.
5. The daily limit for
				bullfrogs shall be 15 and for snapping turtles shall be five. Snapping turtles
				shall only be taken from June 1 to September 30 and must have a minimum
				curved-line carapace length of 13 inches. Bullfrogs and snapping turtles may
				not be taken from the banks or waters of designated stocked trout
				waters.
6. The following species
				may not be taken or possessed in any number for private use: red-eared slider
				and all reptile and amphibian Species of Greatest Conservation Need designated
				in Virginia's 2015 Wildlife Action Plan.
7. Native amphibians and reptiles, as defined
				in 4VAC15-20-50, that are captured
				within the Commonwealth and possessed live for private use and not for sale may
				be liberated under the following conditions:
a. Period of captivity does not exceed 30
				days;
b. Animals must be liberated
				at the site of capture;
c. Animals
				must have been housed separately from other wild-caught and domestic animals;
				and
d. Animals that demonstrate
				symptoms of disease or illness or that have sustained injury during their
				captivity may not be released.
8. Native or naturalized amphibians and
				reptiles, as defined in
				4VAC15-20-50, may not be taken or
				possessed in any number from state or federal land without an appropriate
				permit or license.