Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1901-03-09
Oyster Legislation.
An Act, approved February 10, 1901

An Act, approved February 10, 1901
l. Be it enacted by the Genera
Assembly of Virginia, That it shal
be unlawful for any person to carry
or attempt to carry, or to buy for tn
purpose of carrying out OF this Stat,
any Oysters taken from the natura
rocks, beds or shoals in the waters o
thisCommonwealth whose shells mea
sure less than three inches in length
from hinge to mouth. Any person 81
offending shall be deemed guilty of g
felony, and. upon conviction thereof
shall be confioed in the penitentiary
for one year, or at the discretion Of
the jury, may be confined in jail not
exceeding one year, and fined not
exceeding five hundred dollars
Moreover, all boats and vessels, to
gether with their tackle used in vic
lating this section, and all Oysters
found thereon, shall be forfeited to
the Commonwealth under proceed
ipgs as prescribed by chapter ninety.
eight OF the Code OF Virginia.
2. If any Oyster INSPECTOR or other
person shall knowingly aid and abet,
or shall collide with any person in
the violation of section one of this
act, he shall be deemed guilty OF a
misdemeanor, and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be confined in jail not
exceeding six months and fined not
exceeding five hundred dollars; and
such inspector shall be removed from
his office.
3 1t shall be unlawful for any
person, without first having obtained
a license therefor as hereinafter pro-
vided, to take or buy Oysters, to be
planted in this State, whose shells
measure less than three inches in
length from hinge to mouth, from
the eastern side OF Accomac and
Northampton counties or from James
river above a line drawn from Days
point, in the county of Isle of Wight.
to Deep creek, in the county Of War
wick. Any person desiring to take
or buy such Oysters from said locali-
ties to be planted in this State shall
first obtain a license therefor from
the Oyster Inspector for the district
wherein such person resides, or
intended to plant such Oysters is
located; for each boat or vessel to be
so used, which license shall state the
name and tonnage Gf registered in
the Custom House, OF the boat or
vessel, the name of the owner and
master thereof, and to what waters
in this State it is intended TO use such
boat or vessel in carrying such Oys-
ters to be planted. Before such Ii
cense shall be granted, the owner or
master OF such boat or vessel shall
make oath before the inspector that
said boat or vessel will not be used
for the purpose OF carrying Seed Oys-
ters measuring less than the size
aforesaid out of this State, or for
selling such Oysters to
any person for carrying the same out
Of this State. Such license shall ex-
pire at the end of the Oyster season |
Turing which it is granted. Blank |
forms for such license and such oath |
20 be taken and subscribed shall be |
furnished each Oyster Inspector by |
he Auditor of Public Accounts. the |
,ame to be distributed to them by
he Board of Fisheries; and the oath |
10 taken and subscribed, together
With a memorandum of the License |
ssued, shall be returned by the In
pector to the Secretary of the Board |
If Fisheries, to be by him filed in his
,ffice. For administering said oath
Ind issuing said license, the Inspec-
or shall be entitled to receive from
he person taking out the license a
ee of twenty-five cents on boats or
'essels under five tons burthen, fifty |
ents on those over five tons and
lnder twenty tons and one dollar on
hose over twenty tons burthen. The
'wner or master of any boat or yes
ell found taking or buying such Seed
oysters from the places aforesaid, to
" planted in this State, without a
license therefor, shall be fined not
exceeding one hundred dollars.
4. ALI fines and forfeitures incur.
ed under this act shall be disposed
Il as provided by section twenty-one
hundred and sixty eight of the Code
# Virginia, except that in such case
f forfeiture the Inspector and In>
ormer, if there be one, shall each
eceive five per centum instead of
of the net proceeds.
5. All acts and parts of acts, so far
s in conflict with this act, are here
" repealed.
6. This act shall be in force from
is passage.