Title 29.1, Title 29.1. Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating

There is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be designated the "Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Endowment Fund." This fund shall consist of proceeds from the sale of lifetime hunting and fishing licenses as provided in § 29.1-302.1 and any gifts, grants and co…

There is a permanent revolving fund known as the Virginia Fish Passage Grant and Revolving Loan Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund. The Fund shall be comprised of general fund moneys, receipts by the Fund from loans made by it, all income from the investment of moneys held…

All money belonging to the Fund shall be recorded on the books of the State Comptroller and deposited in an account or accounts in banks or trust companies organized under the laws of the Commonwealth or in national banking associations located in Virginia or in savings instituti…

The Department, or its designated agent, is empowered to collect amounts due to the Fund under any loan made by it including, where appropriate, taking action as required by § 15.2-2659 to obtain payment of any amounts in default. Proceedings to recover amounts due to the Fund ma…

After consultation with the Commissioner of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Department may offer to finance the construction of fishways for any local government which owns a dam or other artificial impediment to the free passage of anadromous fish. The Fund will pa…

After consultation with the Commissioner of the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, the Department may offer to finance the construction of fishways for an owner, other than a local government, who owns a dam or other artificial impediment to the free passage of anadromous fish…

Each loan to an owner other than a local government shall be evidenced by appropriate bonds or notes of the borrower payable to the Fund. The Department may require in connection with any loan to an owner other than a local government such documents, instruments, certificates, le…

In the event that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issues a license for hydropower generation in connection with a dam that is the subject of a loan or grant from the Fund, that loan balance and all accrued interest and the full amount of the grant shall be due and payabl…

Notwithstanding any provision of § 29.1-532, including the existence or lack thereof of an exemption pursuant to § 29.1-532, the owner of every dam or other artificial impediment to the migration of anadromous fish in any tributary of the Chesapeake Bay, including that portion of…

A. The Commission of Game and Inland Fisheries is continued and shall hereafter be known as the Board of Wildlife Resources (the Board). B. The Board shall consist of 11 members. Each member of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General A…

The Board is responsible for carrying out the purposes and provisions of this title and is authorized to: 1. Appoint the Director of the Department. 2. Acquire by purchase, lease, exchange, gift or otherwise, lands and waters in the Commonwealth and to establish buildings, struct…

The Board, in consultation with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the State Veterinarian, and representatives of appropriate agriculture agencies and organizations, may promulgate regulations pertaining to diseases in wildlife populations. The regulati…

The Commonwealth hereby assents to the provisions of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act of September 2, 1937 (16 U.S.C. § 669 et seq.), as amended, and to the provisions of the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act of August 9, 1950 (16 U.S.C. § 777 et seq.), as amen…

In addition to the authority granted the Board by § 29.1-103, the Board may receive gifts, grants, bequests, and devises of property, real or personal, and of money which, if accepted, shall be taken and held for any uses prescribed by the donor, grantor, or testator and in accor…

The Board is authorized, with the approval of the Governor, to enter into contracts respecting or to lease any land or buildings leased or owned by it to private persons, corporations, associations, other governmental agencies, public authorities duly created by law or political …

The Board is authorized to exercise full control of the hunting and fishing rights and privileges in and on all impounded water areas in this Commonwealth resulting from power development; and in all forest and watershed areas in this Commonwealth which are now owned, or which ma…

All rules, resolutions, regulations and policies adopted by the Board shall be reduced to writing for the Director, shall be public documents and shall be available to the public on request.

The minute books and other records of the Board shall be open to examination by the Governor, members of the General Assembly, and Auditor of Public Accounts, or their representatives, at all times. The accounts of the Board shall be audited in the manner provided for the audit o…

A. The Department shall exist to provide public, informational and educational services related to this title, and to serve as the agency responsible for the administration and enforcement of all rules and regulations of the Board, the statutory provisions of this title, and rela…

A. The disbursements of the Department and the Board shall be limited to the amount appropriated by the General Assembly from the game protection fund to expenditures from the Lifetime Hunting and Fishing Endowment Fund. In no event shall the Commonwealth pay obligations that may…

A. The Director is authorized to manage and harvest timber on lands owned by the Board in accordance with the best timber and game management practices, and to sell the timber. Proceeds from the sale of such timber shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the gam…

The Director may authorize the acceptance of any method of payment authorized by § 2.2-614.1 in lieu of money for payment of any fees collected by the Department or agents acting on behalf of the Department for any licenses or permits issued under this title or for any merchandis…

A. No person shall make use of, gain admittance to, or attempt to use or gain admittance to certain Department-owned facilities where the Department charges a fee established by the Board pursuant to § 29.1-103, unless the person pays such fee. However, such fee shall not apply t…

Notwithstanding § 5.1-17, employees of the Department and employees of federal agencies whose responsibilities include fisheries and wildlife management, in the performance of such employees' official duties, may hunt or kill feral hogs in False Cape State Park and Back Bay Natio…

The Director shall appoint regular and special conservation police officers as he may deem necessary to enforce the game and inland fish laws and shall issue a certificate of appointment to each conservation police officer. Any special conservation police officer initially appoin…

Before entering upon the discharge of his official duties, each conservation police officer shall post bond with a guaranty company, authorized to do business within this Commonwealth as surety, for $1,000 payable to the Commonwealth of Virginia. The bonds shall be posted with th…

All sheriffs, police officers or other peace officers of this Commonwealth shall be ex officio conservation police officers.

A. Conservation police officers shall have jurisdiction throughout the Commonwealth to enforce the hunting, trapping and inland fish laws and may serve process in all matters arising from violations of such laws. B. Conservation police officers shall enforce the State Water Contr…

The conservation police officers shall assist the Director in discharging his official duties. Each regular and special conservation police officer shall be under the supervision of certain conservation police officers specified by the Director.

All conservation police officers are vested with the authority, upon displaying a badge or other credential of office, to issue a summons or to arrest any person found in the act of violating any of the provisions of the hunting, trapping, inland fish and boating laws. Regular co…

If any person, by threats or force, attempts to intimidate or impede any law-enforcement officer enforcing the game, inland fish and boating laws, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and shall be subject to arrest by the officer and to the procedures set forth in § 29.1-2…

All conservation police officers are vested with the authority to search any person arrested as provided in § 29.1-205 together with any box, can, package, barrel or other container, hunting bag, coat, suit, trunk, grip, satchel or fish basket carried by, in the possession of, or…

In order to see that bag or creel limits are being observed, conservation police officers shall also have the power to inspect game, fur-bearing animals and fish taken by any person found hunting, trapping or fishing without arresting the person.

Any person arrested for a violation of the game, inland fish and boating laws may be committed to jail pending trial or admitted to bail or released on recognizance as provided by general law; or the arresting officer may issue a summons requiring the person to appear for trial a…

The conservation police officer shall caution persons of the danger from fires and, if possible, extinguish all fires left burning by anyone. When possible, he shall notify any interested persons of fires raging beyond his control, so that the fires may be extinguished.

Any conservation police officer appointed under the provisions of this title may, and shall when requested by a member of the governing body of a county, city or town, take samples of water from any stream in this Commonwealth when he has reason to believe that the water may be p…

Upon the receipt of any water sample sent under § 29.1-213, the State Water Control Board shall have a chemical analysis of the sample made by a chemist employed by the State Water Control Board or retained especially for that purpose. If the results of the analysis show that the…

A. On request of any employer owning more than 500 acres in this Commonwealth, the Director may appoint as special conservation police officers persons employed by the owner. No such special conservation police officer shall receive any compensation from the Commonwealth for his …

If any conservation police officer appointed by the Director is prosecuted on any criminal charge arising out of any act committed in performing his official duties, the Director may employ special counsel approved by the Governor to defend the officer. The compensation for speci…

It shall be unlawful to hunt, trap or fish in or on the lands or inland waters of this Commonwealth without first obtaining a license, subject to the exceptions set out in § 29.1-301.

A. Except as provided in subsection B and §§ 29.1-300.4 and 29.1-305.2, no hunting license shall be issued to (i) a person who has never obtained a license to hunt in any state or country, or (ii) a person who is under the age of 16, unless such a person presents to the Board or …

The Department shall provide for a course of instruction in hunter safety, principles of conservation, and sportsmanship, and for this purpose may cooperate with any reputable association or organization having as one of its objectives the promotion of hunter safety, principles o…

No fee shall be charged for the instructor's service; however, a fee to cover the cost of giving such instruction may be charged each person participating in and receiving such instruction. A record of such expenses shall be kept for inspection by the Department. The expenses may…

A. There is hereby established an apprentice hunting license. The license shall be a one-time nonrenewable license that shall be valid for two years from the date of purchase and shall entitle the licensee to a one-time deferral of completion of hunter education required under § …

A. No license shall be required of landowners, their spouses, their children and grandchildren and the spouses of such children and grandchildren, or the landowner's parents, resident or nonresident, to hunt, trap and fish within the boundaries of their own lands and inland water…

A. Certain resident veterans who are disabled due to a service-connected disability may apply for and receive from the Department a nontransferable license pursuant to 4VAC15-20-65, valid for life, permitting the veteran to hunt and freshwater fish, or to hunt only or to freshwat…