Virginia’s Game Department Asked to Take a Stand on Jackson River Lawsuit

July 20, 2012 By: Erin Block

On July 10, MidCurrent correspondent and outdoor writer Beau Beasley sent an open letter to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) asking them to explain their position on public use of the Jackson River. Among other questions, Beasley wanted to know if the VDGIF has asked Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to intervene on behalf of the public because the angler who is being sued for trespassing was fishing on property that the state claims to own. Beasley also noted that though he strongly supports private property rights, the legal questions surrounding Crown Grants in Virginia leave nearly every river in the state up for grabs.

To read the letter and more about the case that prompted it, please see Jackson River Lawsuit.