Virginia Administrative Code › Title 4 - CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES › Agency 20 - MARINE RESOURCES COMMISSION › Chapter 752 - PERTAINING TO BLUE CRAB SANCTUARIES › Section 4VAC20-752-20 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
"COLREGS Line" means the COLREGS Demarcation Line, as defined
				  in the Code of Federal Regulations (
				  33 CFR
				  80.510 Chesapeake Bay Entrance, VA).
"Three Nautical Mile Limit" means the offshore limit of state
				  waters within the belt three nautical miles wide that is adjacent to Virginia's
				  coast and seaward of the mean low-water mark.
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary" means five distinct blue crab
				  sanctuary areas as described below:
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary Area 1A" shall consist of all
				  tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay that are bounded by a line beginning at a
				  point, northeast of Windmill Point, Latitude 37° 38.3855000' N., Longitude
				  76° 15.9923333' W.; thence northerly to a point, east of Great Wicomico
				  Light at Latitude 37° 48.2620000' N., Longitude 76º 14.5525000' W.;
				  thence northeasterly to a point, Latitude 37° 49.3016667' N., Longitude
				  76° 13.1000000' W.; thence northeasterly to Smith Point Lighthouse,
				  Latitude 37° 52.7925000' N., Longitude 76° 11.0250000' W.; thence
				  northwesterly to a point on the Virginia-Maryland State Line, Latitude 37º
				  54.0831667' N., Longitude 76° 11.7493333' W.; thence northeasterly
				  following the Virginia-Maryland State Line to a point on that line, Latitude
				  37° 55.7298333' N., Longitude 76° 7.2145000' W.; thence southeasterly
				  to a point, southwest of Tangier Island, Latitude 37° 44.9975000' N.,
				  Longitude 76° 01.5718333' W.; thence southeasterly to a point, southeast of
				  Tangier Island, Latitude 37° 43.6841667' N., Longitude 75° 57.8640000'
				  W.; thence northeasterly to a point south of Watts Island, 37° 45.6158333'
				  N., Longitude 75° 52.8978333' W.; thence southeasterly to a point, Latitude
				  37° 44.9358333' N., Longitude 75° 51.5530000' W.; thence southwesterly
				  to a point west of Parkers Marsh, Latitude 37° 42.6915000' N., Longitude
				  75° 55.1051667' W; thence southwesterly to a point, northeast of Windmill
				  Point, Latitude 37° 38.3855000' N., Longitude 76° 15.9923333' W., said
				  point being the point of beginning.
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary Area 1B" shall consist of all
				  tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay that are bounded by a line beginning at a
				  point, near the western shore of Fishermans Island, Latitude 37°
				  05.9595000' N., Longitude 75° 58.7623333' W., being on a line from the Cape
				  Charles Lighthouse to the Thimble Shoal Light; thence southwesterly to Thimble
				  Shoal Light, Latitude 37° 00.8708333' N., Longitude 76° 14.3970000' W.;
				  thence southwesterly to the Ocean View Fishing Pier (formerly Harrison's
				  Fishing Pier) at a point 200 feet offshore of mean low water, Latitude 36°
				  57.6985477' N., Longitude 76° 15.5855211' W.; thence northerly to Flashing
				  Green Buoy "9" on the York River Entrance Channel, Latitude 37° 11.4898333'
				  N., Longitude 76° 15.7095000' W.; thence northeasterly to Wolf Trap Light,
				  Latitude 37° 23.4185000' N., Longitude 76° 11.3673333' W.; thence
				  northwesterly to a point, northeast of Windmill Point, Latitude 37°
				  38.3855000' N., Longitude 76° 15.9923333' W.; thence northeasterly to a
				  point west of Parkers Marsh, Latitude 37° 42.6915000' N., Longitude 75°
				  55.1051667' W.; thence southwesterly to a point west of Cape Charles Harbor,
				  Latitude 37° 15.6205000' N., Longitude 76° 04.2298333' W.; thence
				  southeasterly to a point near the western shore of Fishermans Island, Latitude
				  37° 05.9595000' N., Longitude 75° 58.7623333' W., being on the line
				  from Cape Charles Lighthouse to Thimble Shoal Light, said point being the point
				  of beginning.
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary Area 2" shall consist of all
				  tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay that are bounded by a line beginning at the
				  mean low water line of Willoughby Spit at its intersection with the center line
				  of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel facility, Latitude 36° 58.0456514' N.,
				  Longitude 76° 17.8459721' W.; thence in a northwesterly direction to a
				  point 200 feet offshore of mean low water, Latitude 36° 58.0637717' N.,
				  Longitude 76° 17.8812821' W.; thence and following a line in a general
				  easterly direction, said line being 200 feet offshore of the mean low water
				  line, to a point on Ocean View Fishing Pier (formerly Harrison's Fishing Pier),
				  Latitude 36° 57.6985477' N., Longitude 76° 15.5855211' W.; thence
				  northeasterly to Thimble Shoal Light, Latitude 37° 00.8708333' N.,
				  Longitude 76° 14.3970000' W.; thence northeasterly to Cape Charles
				  Lighthouse, Latitude 37° 07.3743333' N., Longitude 75° 54.3898333' W.;
				  thence southwesterly along the COLREGS Line to its intersection with the mean
				  low water line of Cape Henry, Latitude 36° 55.6885268' N., Longitude
				  76° 00.3772955' W.; thence, in a general westerly direction, following the
				  mean low water line of the Chesapeake Bay, crossing the mouth of the Lynnhaven
				  River along the north side of the Lesner Bridge and the Mouth of Little Creek
				  at the offshore ends of the stone breakwaters and continuing along said mean
				  low water line to a point at its intersection with the center line of the
				  Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel facility, said point being the point of
				  beginning.
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary Area 3" shall consist of all
				  tidal waters of the Atlantic Ocean that are bounded by a line beginning at Cape
				  Charles Lighthouse, Latitude 37° 07.3743333' N., Longitude 75°
				  54.3898333' W.; thence southwesterly along the COLREGS Line to Cape Henry
				  Lighthouse, Latitude 36° 55.5840000' N., Longitude 76° 00.4321667' W.;
				  thence easterly to a point on the Three Nautical Mile Limit, Latitude 36°
				  55.5436667' N., Longitude 75° 55.9015000' W.; thence northeasterly along
				  the Three Nautical Mile Limit to a point, Latitude 37° 03.1915000' N.,
				  Longitude 75° 53.4503333' W.; thence northeasterly to a point, east of Cape
				  Charles Lighthouse, Latitude 37° 06.7500000' N., Longitude 75°
				  52.0833333' W.; thence westerly to the Cape Charles Lighthouse, said point
				  being the point of beginning.
"Virginia Blue Crab Sanctuary Area 4" shall consist of all
				  tidal waters of the Atlantic Ocean that are bounded by a line beginning at a
				  point on the Three Nautical Mile Limit, Latitude 36° 55.5436667' N.,
				  Longitude 75° 55.9015000' W.; thence southerly following the Three Nautical
				  Mile Limit to an intersection point on the Virginia-North Carolina State Line,
				  Latitude 36° 33.0224955' N., Longitude 75° 48.2662043' W.; thence
				  westerly to a point along the Virginia-North Carolina State Line at its
				  intersection with the mean low water line, Latitude 36° 33.0224003' N.,
				  Longitude 75° 52.0510498' W.; thence northerly, following the mean low
				  water line to the Rudee Inlet weir; thence easterly along the weir to the stone
				  breakwater; thence following the stone breakwater to its northernmost point;
				  thence northerly to the mean low water line at the most northeastern point of
				  the northern stone jetty; thence westerly along the mean low water line of said
				  stone jetty to the mean low water line along the shore; thence northerly
				  following the mean low water line to a point, Latitude 36° 55.5781102' N.,
				  Longitude 76° 00.1530758' W., said point being the intersection of the mean
				  low water line with the line from Cape Henry Lighthouse easterly to a point on
				  the Three Nautical Mile Limit, Latitude 36° 55.5436667' N., Longitude
				  75° 55.9015000' W., said point being the point of
				  beginning.
Statutory Authority: § 28.2-201 of the Code of
					 Virginia.