Virginia Code 28.2-507: Opening and closing public rocks.
The Commission, in order to protect or promote the growth of oysters, may (i) close and open any area or restrict the manner or method of taking oysters in any area of the public rocks, grounds, or shoals, (ii) establish seed beds and plant shells and other culch, or (iii) take any other restorative measures. Before closing any such area, an officer shall post notice of the closing for at least 30 days in two or more public places in the district in which the area is located. Such notice requirement shall not apply to those public rocks closed by the Virginia Department of Health or state replenishment programs. In addition, when the Commissioner finds it necessary, the area may be marked by a uniform system of buoys or signs indicating that such area is closed and that oystering by any means is prohibited. Any area which has been closed and reopened at a later time may be closed by the Commission or Commissioner at any time without notice.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 28.2-507
- Commission: means the Marine Resources Commission. See Virginia Code 28.2-100
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Marine Resources. See Virginia Code 28.2-100
- Officer: means a member of the Virginia Marine Police. See Virginia Code 28.2-100
- Shoals: means subaqueous elevations covered by water less than four feet deep at mean low water. See Virginia Code 28.2-200
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
Code 1950, § 28-98.1; 1956, c. 313; 1962, c. 406, § 28.1-85; 1981, c. 52; 1992, c. 836; 1996, c. 842; 2011, c. 221.