Wildlife Resources, Board of; prescribing seasons/bag limits for taking wild birds, animals, & fish.

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify enforcement actions for non-compliance with new rules.

Wildlife Resources Board Rules

This bill allows the Board of Wildlife Resources to set hunting and fishing rules for rare species in cities and counties.

What This Bill Does

• Gives the Board of Wildlife Resources power to set seasons and bag limits after studying wild birds, animals, and fish within Virginia's jurisdiction.
• Requires the Board to create special rules if a type of bird, animal, or fish becomes very rare or is at risk in any city or county.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Board of Wildlife Resources in Virginia
• Hunters, anglers, and trappers who follow hunting and fishing rules

Terms To Know

Bag limits

Rules about how many animals or fish a person can catch or kill at one time.

Seasons

Specific times of the year when hunting and fishing are allowed for certain species.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how long it will take to see results from these new rules.
• It is unclear what happens if hunters or anglers do not follow the new limits set by the Board.

Official Summary Text

Board of Wildlife Resources; prescribing seasons and bag limits for taking wild birds, animals, and fish.
Provides that when an investigation of the Board of Wildlife Resources shows, for any species of wild bird, animal, or fish within the jurisdiction of the Board, that there is an unusual scarcity of such wild bird, animal, or fish or a risk that the population of such wild bird, animal, or fish in any city or county could be eliminated, the Board shall prescribe the seasons and bag limits for such wild bird, animal, or fish in such city or county accordingly to promote the recovery and stabilization of such wild bird, animal, or fish population.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend and reenact §
29.1-506
of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board of Wildlife Resources; prescribing seasons and bag limits for taking wild birds, animals, and fish.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §
29.1-506
of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§
29.1-506
. Prescribing seasons and bag limits for taking fish and game.

After careful study of each species of wild bird, animal
,
and fish within the jurisdiction of the Board in cities and counties of the Commonwealth, the Board shall have the power to prescribe the seasons and bag limits for hunting, fishing, trapping
,
or otherwise taking such wild birds, animals
,
and fish by regulation adopted as provided in this article.

When
an
investigation of the Board shows
, for any species of wild bird, animal, or fish with
in the jurisdiction of the Board,

that
there is an unusual scarcity of
such
wild bird,
animal
, or fish

or a ri
sk t
hat the population of such
wild bird, animal, or fish

in any c
ity
or c
ount
y

could be
eliminated
,
the Board shall
prescribe the seasons and bag limits for such
wild bird, animal, or fish
in such
c
ity
or c
oun
ty
accordingly to
promote
the recovery and stabiliz
ation of

such
wild bird,
animal
, or fish

population.