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2006 SESSION

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060777308
HOUSE BILL NO. 435 Offered January 11, 2006 Prefiled January 6, 2006 A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 28.2-203.2, relating to a moratorium on horseshoe crabs. ----------
Patrons-- Griffith, Albo, Amundson, Athey, Brink, Callahan, Fralin, Janis, Landes, Lohr, May, Morgan, Saxman, Ware, R.L. and Watts
---------- Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources ----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 28.2-203.2 as follows:

§ 28.2-203.2. Moratorium on horseshoe crabs.

A. There shall be a moratorium on landings and the importation of horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) in Virginia until such time as (i) the population of rufa subspecies of the Red Knot shorebird (Calidris canutus) reaches a population level of 240,000 established in the United States Shorebird Conservation Plan of May 2001, and (ii) the population of horseshoe crabs returns to 1990 population levels as determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Such a moratorium shall apply to landings and imports of horseshoe crabs from states bordering on the Atlantic Ocean from Virginia to New York.

B. The Commission shall promulgate regulations establishing a moratorium on horseshoe crab landing and imports consistent with the provisions in subsection A. Horseshoe crabs landed for the biomedical industry shall be exempt from the provisions of subsection A.