The director may issue a license for the operation of a private pond or privately owned pond or impoundment to be used as a commercial fishing preserve, provided such impoundments meet the requirements of section twenty-seven of this article: Provided, however, That only one license shall be required where more than one private pond or privately owned pond or impoundment is operated under one ownership and management and on one separate commercial fishing preserve. The licensee shall have the authority to establish the fishing seasons, size and creel limits for such licensed pond or impoundment. A person fishing in such lake shall not be required to possess the same statewide fishing license as would be required of him if he were fishing in any of the public waters of this state.

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 20-2-53

  • Director: means the Director of the Division of Natural Resources. See West Virginia Code 20-1-2
  • Person: except as otherwise defined elsewhere in this chapter, means the plural "persons" and shall include individuals, partnerships, corporations or other legal entities. See West Virginia Code 20-1-2
  • Preserve: means all duly licensed private game farmlands, or private plants, ponds or areas, where hunting or fishing is permitted under special licenses or seasons other than the regular public hunting or fishing seasons. See West Virginia Code 20-1-2
  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

The annual fee for the commercial fishing preserve license shall be $25.