CHAPTER 313

An Act to amend and reenact § 28-98.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating
to opening and closing natural oyster rocks for certain purposes.

LOW
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 28-98.1 of the Code of Virginia be amended and reenacted
as follows:

§ 28-98.1. The Commission or Commissioner may, whenever it or he
deems it advisable to do so to protect or promote the growth of oysters,
close and open any area of the natural oyster rocks for purposes of reple-
tion and rehabilitation, and may establish seed beds and plant shells and
other cultch thereon, or take any other restorative measures which it or he
may deem best. Before closing any such area, * notice of such closing
shall be posted by the oyster inspector or deputy in two or more public
places in the inspection district in which the area is located for at least
five days, and in such event the Commissioner shall cause to be placed and
maintained sufficient buoys or other markings, visible for at least two
hundred yards, indicating that such area is closed and that oystering by
any means is prohibited therein. Any area closed under the provisions of
this section may be reopened by the Commission whenever it deems
it advisable so to do, the same procedure as to notice to be followed as
when areas are closed; but 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.