Subcommittee requires VMRC, VIMS to develop recommendations to reduce terrapin bycatch in crab pots

House Bill 1013, introduced by Delegate Tran, was amended in subcommittee to apply to recreational crab pots and to direct the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) to develop recommendations for reducing interactions between diamondback terrapins and crab pots rather than immediately imposing a specific device statewide.

Sponsor testimony emphasized a steep regional decline in diamondback terrapin populations and cited studies estimating tens of thousands of annual terrapin drownings across the Chesapeake region. Conservation organizations including the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Virginia Conservation Network supported the measure, saying targeted requirements in terrapin-protection areas would reduce non-target mortality. Municipalities and commercial interests (city staff, shellfish growers and regional planning commissions) generally supported a measured, targeted approach.

Commercial watermen, seafood wholesalers and associations provided extended opposition testimony, arguing that turtle-excluder devices can sharply reduce catch and market-size crabs, impose significant equipment costs, and that existing VMRC technical groups had previously not adopted such measures. Speakers cited VIMS and industry studies with differing capture-rate results and said many studies are out-of-state or not conclusive for Virginia.

After debate the committee accepted revised language — replacing a prescriptive device requirement with a charge to VMRC and VIMS to "develop recommendations for reducing terrapin interactions with crab pots" — and reported the bill as amended. The chair announced the bill was reported by a recorded voice vote of 5 to 2.