Va saltwater fishing regs

Seasons, sizes, possession limits, and more for recreational fishermen. New regulations are published in the Federal Registerand will be updated here after publication.

Anglers no longer need a recreational permit to target cobia in Virginia waters. We encourage voluntary cobia reporting especially release data using the Virginia Saltwater Journal www. Otherwise, the recreational regulations remain the same: season open June September 15; 1 fish per person, 2 fish per vessel possession limit; and a prohibition on gaffing. Recreational Saltwater Fishing License Requirements. Get your Saltwater Fishing License Online! Recreational Saltwater Fishing Licensing Agents. No Cost Recreational Species Permits - for selected species like cobia a no cost permit may be needed by an angler in addition to their regular paid license.

Va saltwater fishing regs

Virginia Saltwater Recreational Fishing Licenses: The fishing licenses listed below are required for recreational, non-commercial use of a rod-and-reel hook and line , handline, spear or gig, cast net, or up to two eel pots in Virginia tidal saltwater areas including the Atlantic Ocean out to the three mile limit. Exemptions from licensing requirements and license reciprocity information are listed below. The saltwater recreational hook and line licenses listed above are sold by licensing agents administered by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries DGIF. Click here to view a list of licensing agents maintained by DGIF. Note that although this linked page refers to hunting license agents, DGIF agents sell saltwater recreational fishing licenses, freshwater recreational fishing licenses as well as hunting licenses. Get your saltwater fishing license online! Click on link to learn more. Note to non-resident fishermen: there are no additional fees above license costs listed above for non-resident fishermen to fish recreationally in Virginia tidal waters. If you hold a valid fishing license in Maryland or from the Potomac River Fisheries Commission you may not need another license to fish in Virginia. Read the comments below on license reciprocity for more information. Chesapeake Bay - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers. Virginia licenses honored include: 1 individual annual licenses; 2 individual temporary licenses; 3 private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4 annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5 annual licenses for rental boats. Potomac River - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or the Potomac River Fisheries Commission may fish in any portion of the mainstem of the Potomac River to the lower border of D. Virginia saltwater recreational licenses purchased for fishing in ocean waters are the same license used for Bay waters and have the same reciprocity described above.

Red Drum No recreational fishing allowed. Black Sea Bass Federal recreational measures for summer flounder have been waived for

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Recreational Species Permits - Certain recreational fisheries in Virginia, such as the February black sea bass season, require a no-cost permit for participation. Permittees may be required to report harvest to the commission. As of , a species permit is no longer required to target cobia in Virginia. Highly Migratory Species Permits - Federal permits are required for private and charter vessels to fish for Atlantic tunas, billfishes, swordfish, and sharks. For-Hire Licenses - Information relating to operating a charter boat, commercial fish pier, or rental boat business. The Commonwealth of Virginia takes pride in its wealth of natural resources and access opportunities for the public. Whether you're fishing from a public access pier or one of our 23 artificial reefs, we hope to see you out there. Read more here about where to fish in Virginia and how to be a responsible steward of the resource.

Va saltwater fishing regs

Copies of each regulation can be found by clicking on the regulation number plain text version or on the regulation title scanned version with signature. The regulation texts provided below are not legal copies of the regulations. Please request certified copies from the VMRC if you need a copy of a regulation for legal purposes. If you would like to know more about the regulatory process or get to links leading to statutes related to the Commission, click here. The texts of our regulations have been provided for reference only; summaries of current restrictions have also been posted and are much easier to understand than the underlying regulations. The regulation summaries are available at the following links:. The Registrar of Regulations also maintains searchable databases of regulations and statutes. Click on links below to access key word search pages on the Registrar web page.

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Incomplete applications will NOT be accepted. If you have a mobile device, you can also use the FishRules app to check fishing regulations. Red Drum No recreational fishing allowed. Get your saltwater fishing license by phone at ! Notice to Fishing Vessel Owners and Operators A reminder that all for-hire party and charter vessels must adhere to current reporting requirements that include electronic reporting for all for-hire vessels. Any tissue anterior to the fourth dorsal spine is ignored. Virginia licenses honored include: 1 individual annual licenses; 2 individual temporary licenses; 3 private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4 annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5 annual licenses for rental boats. Pacific Islands. Black Sea Bass Federal recreational measures for summer flounder have been waived for Recreational Saltwater License Fees. Artificial Reef Locations. Chesapeake Bay - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers. Notes : Filleting at sea is allowed. Scup Porgy Open season : All year Minimum size : 10 inches Possession limit : 40 per person per trip Note : Federal coast-wide regulations are put in place each year for scup. Recreational Saltwater Fishing Licensing Agents.

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes. Below is the most common Virginia saltwater fish size limits for 30 popular game fish:. By following these regulations, you can help maintain the sustainability of fish populations and ensure a healthy marine environment.

We encourage voluntary cobia reporting especially release data using the Virginia Saltwater Journal www. Note : To harvest Atlantic herring as bait with gear other than hook and line, you will need a federal commercial permit. Ocean Pout No recreational fishing allowed. Vessels with a federal permit are subject to the more restrictive measures, either federal or state. Virginia Charter Boat Association. Please check the Highly Migratory Species pages. SW Recreational boat. Chesapeake Bay - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers. Scup Porgy Open season : All year Minimum size : 10 inches Possession limit : 40 per person per trip Note : Federal coast-wide regulations are put in place each year for scup. Red Drum No recreational fishing allowed. Fish or parts of fish, with the exception of cheeks and livers, must have skin on while possessed on board a vessel and at the time of landing in order to meet minimum size requirements. Remember to sign and date the last page.