The Virginia Marine Resources Commission Revokes Five More Commercial Fishing Licenses
NEWPORT NEWS, VA. – The Virginia Marine Resources Commission at their June 23, 2015 meeting took the following action on fisheries violations:
- David S. Luckett, Jr., of Hayes, Virginia. Mr. Luckett was convicted in court of illegally taking small, unculled oysters from public rocks on February 12, 2015 and again on November 20, 2014. These violations occurred during at time when Mr. Luckett’s licenses had been previously revoked by the Commission for 12 months for
previous violations. For Mr. Luckett’s repeated violations of Section 28.2.232 of the Code of Virginia, the Commission voted unanimously to revoke all of Mr. Luckett’s licenses to take or catch fish, shellfish, or marine organism for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting, June 23, 2015 through June 22, 2017. Mr. Luckett’s fishing privileges within the Commonwealth’s tidal waters were also revoked for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting.
- Willie F. Shiflette Jr., of Hayes, Virginia. Mr. Shiflette pleaded guilty in court to repeatedly taking oysters from the public rocks of the Commonwealth in a closed area, and for taking oysters valued at two hundred dollars or more and belonging to the Commonwealth, which is petit larceny. In accordance with Section 28.2-232 of the Code of Virginia, the Commission voted unanimously to revoke all of Mr. Shiflette’s licenses to take or catch fish, shellfish or marine organism for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting, June 23, 2015 through June 22, 2017. Mr. Shiflette’s fishing privileges within the Commonwealth’s tidal waters were also revoked for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting.
- Ava Maria Shiflette, of Hayes, Virginia. Ava Maria Shiflette pleaded guilty in court to repeatedly taking oysters from the public rocks of the Commonwealth in a closed area, and for taking oysters valued at two hundred dollars or more and belonging to the Commonwealth, which is petit larceny. Ms. Shiflette also pleaded guilty on November 12, 2014 to harvesting oysters without the proper gear license. The Commission voted unanimously to revoke all of Ms. Shiflett’s licenses to take or catch fish, shellfish, or marine organism for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting, June 23, 2015 to June 22, 2017. Additionally, Mrs. Shiflette fishing privileges within the Commonwealth’s tidal waters were also revoked for a period of two years from the date of the Commission meeting.
- Roger Lee Belvin, of Achilles, Virginia. Mr. Belvin, pleaded guilty in court to repeatedly taking oysters from the public rocks of the Commonwealth in a closed area. The Commission voted unanimously to revoke all of Mr. Belvin’s licenses to take or catch fish, shellfish, or marine organism for a period of one year from the date of the Commission meeting, June 23, 2015 through June 22, 2016. The Commission also unanimously revoked Mr. Belvin’s fishing privileges within the Commonwealth’s tidal waters, for a period of one year from the date of this Commission meeting.
- Charles Franklin Davenport, of Hampton, Virginia. Mr. Davenport, a deep-water scallop fisherman was convicted in court on April 27, 2015 on one count of failure to register as a commercial waterman; one count of harvesting oysters from a condemned area; one count of commercially harvesting oysters on a Sunday; one count of failure to display harvest tags on oysters; and one count of harvesting oysters during a closed season. The Commission voted unanimously to revoke Mr. Davenport’s licenses to take or catch fish, shellfish or marine organism for two years from the date of the Commission meeting, June 23, 2015 through June 22, 2017. Additionally the Commission also unanimously revoked for two years, Mr. Davenport’s fishing privileges within the Commonwealth’s tidal waters for two years from the date of the Commission meeting.
“If your license is revoked and you are caught and convicted again of stealing Virginia’s natural resources, this Commission has been given authorization by the General Assembly and Governor McAuliffe to impose financial penalties up to $10,000,” said Virginia Marine Resources Commissioner John M.R. Bull. “Revoked licenses are just that — revoked. Repeat offenders will not want to experience the impact of the new law.”