CHAPTER 271

An Act to amend and reenact § 28-45, as amended, of the Code of
Virginia, relating to size of fish that may be caught in waters under
control of Commission of Fisheries. CH 135]

Approved March 9, 1956

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 28-45 as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be amended and
reenacted as follows:

§ 28-45. It shall be unlawful to take, catch or have in possession
any sturgeon less than five feet in length; or any rock fish of less than
twelve inches in length or more than twenty-five pounds in weight except
that rock fish more than twenty-five pounds in weight may be lawfully
taken by hook and line or lure; or any trout less than nine inches in
length ; or any spot less than six inches in length; or any bluefish less than
eight inches in length; or any bonito fish less than twenty inches in
length; or any croakers (grumblers) less than seven inches in length;
or any black drum bass less than twelve inches in length; or any red
drum bass less than twelve inches in length; or any hog fish less than six
inches in length; or any mackerel less than ten inches in length; or any
mullets less than six inches in length; or any pompanos less than seven
inches in length; or any porgie or moon fish less than ten inches in
length; or any star-butter fish less than six inches in length; or any
other butter fish less than seven inches in length; or any roundhead or
sea mullet less than seven inches in length; or any sea bass less than five
inches in length; or any sheepshead less than twelve inches in length;
or any black bass less than eight inches in length; or any mud shad less
than seven inches in length; or any white sand perch less than five inches
in length; or any yellow or ring perch less than seven inches in length; or
any blue nose perch less than seven inches in length; or any bream less
than eight inches in length; or any hickory shad or any other shad less
than ten inches in length; or any bullhead catfish less than nine inches
in length; or any Mississippi or blue channel catfish less than eleven
inches in length; or any white channel catfish less than ten inches in
length. All such measurements are to be from nose to tip of tail.

Any such fish caught by any person shall be at once returned to the
water; and in order that any such fish caught in any fixed fishing device
may be returned to the water alive, all persons fishing such devices shall
cull out and return to the water all such fish as they are taken from the
net and before placing the same inside of their boat.

Whenever any fisherman or dealer is found to have as much as ten
per centum of the bulk of his catch under the minimum size herein
prescribed, he shall be deemed guilty of violating the provisions of this
section, except as to trout, in which case any fisherman or dealer shall be
deemed guilty of violating the provisions of this section only when he is
found to have as much as ten per centum of the bulk of his catch under
the minimum size herein prescribed as to trout. .

If any dealer offers for sale any fish under the sizes hereinbefore
stated, he shall be deemed guilty of violating the provisions of this section.