Any ground in the waters of this Commonwealth not assigned to anyone for planting or bathing purposes may be, on application of twenty or more citizens to the officer assigned to the district in which the land lies, laid off and designated as public clamming grounds; or the Commissioner may do so without such petition, provided in his opinion no oyster interests will suffer thereby and the clams are of sufficient quantity for a person to realize at least 225 clams or $1.50 per day catching and taking clams from such ground. If the ground is laid off, the Commissioner shall designate by stakes the metes and bounds of such ground and also have a plat made, to be recorded in the clerk's office of the county where the ground lies. All costs of surveying, platting, and recording shall be paid by the applicant. Such ground shall be set apart and remain a public clamming ground for the common use of the citizens of Virginia for so long as the Commissioner determines, and shall not be assigned to anyone during such period.
Code 1950, § 28-180; 1962, c. 406, § 28.1-162; 1992, c. 836.
Structure Code of Virginia
Title 28.2 - Fisheries and Habitat of the Tidal Waters
§ 28.2-600. Riparian planting ground assignments; eligibility; fee
§ 28.2-601. Riparian assignments; entitlements; obligations
§ 28.2-602. Riparian assignments; special terms and conditions
§ 28.2-603. General oyster planting grounds
§ 28.2-603.1. Temporary enclosures on leased ground
§ 28.2-603.2. Commissioner to provide notice
§ 28.2-604. Eligible applicants
§ 28.2-605. Application for assignment
§ 28.2-606. Notice of application
§ 28.2-607. Survey and marking of ground
§ 28.2-608. Application, surveying, and recording fees
§ 28.2-609. Restrictions on assigned acreage and applications
§ 28.2-610. Restriction on acreage owned or operated
§ 28.2-612. Payment of annual rental; penalty for default
§ 28.2-615. Payment of costs for service, etc.
§ 28.2-616. Possession gives no preference as to assignment
§ 28.2-617. Recordation of plat
§ 28.2-619. When leases become vacant
§ 28.2-621. Effect of proposal for navigation project
§ 28.2-622. Consolidation of lease
§ 28.2-623. Excusing rent payment on condemned oyster grounds in the Lynnhaven River and tributaries
§ 28.2-624. Public rocks, etc., not to be used or staked off; penalty
§ 28.2-625. Transfer or assignment
§ 28.2-626. Refund of rent paid under mistake
§ 28.2-627.1. Oyster Leasing, Conservation, and Repletion Programs Fund
§ 28.2-628. Condemnation of oyster bottoms and grounds
§ 28.2-629. Rights of owner to waters within lawful survey
§ 28.2-630. Rights of riparian owners to build bulkhead or wharf
§ 28.2-632. Public clamming grounds
§ 28.2-633. Bathing grounds; assignment; rental
§ 28.2-634. Nonresidents; taking, planting oysters prohibited; penalty
§ 28.2-635. Residents not to be associated with nonresident
§ 28.2-636. Leasing of certain bottoms in Rappahannock River prohibited
§ 28.2-638. Authority of Governor to authorize dredging of channel in navigable waters
§ 28.2-639. Certain public oyster rocks in Rappahannock River
§ 28.2-640. Declaring certain grounds in Mobjack Bay public oyster rocks
§ 28.2-649. Acts which remain in force
§ 28.2-650. Dredging clams in polluted areas for replanting in public clamming grounds