Regulations

Marine Resources Commission Regulation Index

IMPORTANT: The following table contains links to the full text of the current regulations established by the VMRC. The regulations may be viewed directly on the Virginia LIS website by clicking on the regulation number, and copies of each regulation can be found by clicking on the regulation title. 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.

[ Administrative Code of Virginia Regulation Search Database (external site) ] [ Code of Virginia Statute Search Database (external site) ]

Showing the Finfish regulations only. Show all regulations

Finfish

Regulation # Title Effective
4 VAC 20-10-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Fishing in Broad & Linkhorn Bays (PDF) 08/01/1995
4 VAC 20-20-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Licensing of Fixed Fishing Devices (PDF) 04/01/2015
4 VAC 20-25-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Pound Net Siting Public Interest Review (PDF) 12/01/2004
4 VAC 20-80-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Setting of Fishing Devices Proximate to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (PDF) 07/29/2005
4 VAC 20-170-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Removal of Nets (PDF) 05/01/2005
4 VAC 20-190-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Measuring Mesh Size of Menhaden Nets (PDF) 08/01/1995
4 VAC 20-220-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Taking of Finfish by Gill Nets (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-252-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Atlantic Striped Bass (PDF) 01/01/2025
4 VAC 20-280-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Speckled Trout (PDF) 03/31/2026
4 VAC 20-320-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Taking of Black Drum (PDF) 09/01/2018
4 VAC 20-350-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Prohibiting the Sale of Billfish (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-380-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Grey Trout (Weakfish) (PDF) 04/01/2021
4 VAC 20-430-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Marking and Minimum Mesh Size of Gill Nets (PDF) 01/01/2012
4 VAC 20-450-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Taking of Bluefish (PDF) 03/31/2026
4 VAC 20-470-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Hampton Roads Management Area (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-480-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Eastern Shore Bayside Management Areas (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-490-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Sharks (PDF)
Shark Identification PDF
08/01/2025
4 VAC 20-500-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Catching of Eels (PDF) 09/01/2018
4 VAC 20-510-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Amberjack and Cobia (PDF) 04/01/2025
4 VAC 20-530-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to American Shad (PDF) 03/01/2013
4 VAC 20-540-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Spanish and King Mackerel (PDF) 09/01/2020
4 VAC 20-550-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Removal of Gill Nets and Other Non-Fixed Finfishing Gear (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-570-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Use of Firearms to Take Fish (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-580-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Alteration of Finfish (PDF) 07/01/1995
4 VAC 20-600-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Pound Net License Sales (PDF) 06/26/1997
4 VAC 20-620-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Summer Flounder (PDF)
Pertaining to Summer Flounder - Effective 01/01/2027 (PDF)
04/01/2024
4 VAC 20-680-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Gill Nets (PDF) 04/14/1995
4 VAC 20-740-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Snagging of Fish (PDF) 10/01/2024
4 VAC 20-751-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Setting and Mesh Size of Gill Nets (PDF) 03/01/2021
4 VAC 20-755-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Artificial Reefs (PDF) 09/01/2007
4 VAC 20-910-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Scup (Porgy) (PDF) 05/01/2022
4 VAC 20-950-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Black Sea Bass (PDF) 04/21/2026
4 VAC 20-960-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Tautog (PDF) 02/01/2024
4 VAC 20-970-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Spadefish (PDF) 01/01/2002
4 VAC 20-995-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishing (PDF)
Pertaining to Commercial Hook-and-Line Fishing - Effective 01/01/2027 (PDF)
03/01/2020
4 VAC 20-1070-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Haul Seines (PDF) 08/28/2009
4 VAC 20-1080-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Monkfish (Goosefish) (PDF) 05/01/2005
4 VAC 20-1110-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Sheepshead (PDF) 05/01/2007
4 VAC 20-1120-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Tilefish and Groupers (PDF) 02/01/2024
4 VAC 20-1180-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining To Fishing Guides, Charter Boat, And Head Boat Fisheries (PDF) 03/01/2022
4 VAC 20-1190-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Gill Net Control Date (PDF) 04/28/2025
4 VAC 20-1220-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to the Separation Between Nets (PDF) 09/01/2009
4 VAC 20-1260-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to River Herring (PDF) 03/29/2012
4 VAC 20-1270-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Atlantic Menhaden (PDF) 06/30/2024
4 VAC 20-1360-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Commercial Electrofishing (PDF) 03/01/2025
4 VAC 20-1370-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Atlantic Croaker (PDF) 04/15/2021
4 VAC 20-1380-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Spot (PDF) 04/15/2021
4 VAC 20-1400-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Red Drum (PDF) 09/01/2021
4 VAC 20-1420-10 ET SEQ. (external site) Pertaining to Atlantic Tarpon (PDF) 05/26/2026

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