Subcommittee backs bill to remove physical tags from commercial fishing gear

House Bill 645, sponsored in subcommittee by the bill patron, would eliminate the statutory requirement that commercial fishing gear — including pound nets, spike nets, crab traps and gill nets — carry a physical identification placard while preserving licensing and unique identification numbers. The delegate said the ID number remains on the gear and on the waterman’s license and that placards often suffer sun damage, washing and general inaccessibility.

The sponsor told the subcommittee that marine police are able to identify gear by the existing identification number and that removing the physical placard requirement would reduce burdens and state costs while retaining enforcement capability. A committee member clarified that the proposal preserves the identification number on the gear and that license requirements remain in force.

No witnesses testified in opposition during the hearing. The committee moved to report the bill and the clerk announced, "The bill reports 70." The committee did not adopt any substitute or substantive amendment during the recorded discussion.

The bill now moves to the next stage in the House legislative process with a committee report attached; further floor action and final passage remain to be determined.