Established in 1875, as the Virginia Fish Commission, the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) is one of the oldest agencies in the state of Virginia. It is comprised of law enforcement, administration and finance, and fisheries and habitat management divisions. The agency also houses the commissioners office. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission s fisheries management division promotes recreational fishing activities and collects comprehensive statistics and information on Virginias fisheries, as well as develops fisheries management plans for commercially and recreationally important species. It also operates an engineering and surveying department that is responsible for mapping subaqueous ground for public and private shellfish cultivation. The Virginia Marine Resources Commission maintains its main office in Newport News, Va.