Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-30
TO PROTECTIVE
CRA8 INDUSTRY
Statewide Bill Agreed Upon at
Crisfield Meeting.
INSPECTORS TO ENFORCE LAW.
No Hard Shell Crab Under Five Inches
Long Shall be Caught Or Sold,
According to the Proposed

II has long been recognized by
those connected with the business that
sooner or later something would have
to be done TO prevent crahs-both hard
and soft shells-from becoming eX-
tfnct Yesterday a meeting was held
at Crisdeld to formulate plans to that
end
Following a widespread demand for
some legislation on the crab industry
by persons engaged i'm all branches of
the business, a meeting was held in
the Gibson Building. in Crisfield, last
night. with a representative body of
crab catchers and shippers present.
The meeting was called by l.. Cleye-
land Nelson a member of the coming
Legislature from Somerset county,and
Sneator-elect George r. Parsons. for
the purpose of securing the views OF
those engaged in the industry as to
the nature of the legislation needed.
Mr. Nelson was chairman of the
meeting, while Gordon =. Melbourne,
another member of the coming Legis-
lature. was secretary Following
general discussion of the crab indus
try, il was decided to present To the
Legislature q Statewide bill containing
the following provisions:
THAT il shall be unlawful for any
person or persons to catch. offer for
sale or to have in his or their posses
sion any hardshell crabs under five
inches in length from tip to tip. It
shall be unlawful for any person or
persons to catch, offer for sale or have
in his or their possession any female
crab in a spawning condition during
the months of May. June and July.
1T shall be unlawful for any person
or persons 10 catch. offer for sale or
have in his or their possession any
crab of the soft crab variety other
than a shedder,,' a buster or a soft
crab any time during the year.
THAT violation of either of the
foregoing provisions be punishable by
fine Of $50 for the first offense and
a fine of 800 for the second offense.
THAT license fee 70 $40 be inn
posed yearly upon each person, firm or
corporation engaging in the packing or
shipping of hard crabs, soft crabs or
tAdb lutdi, anu AlitAN a AiNtl9t A't VI
81 yearly be imposed upon each indi-
vidual engaged in the catching of
crabs That such license shall give
to the catcher the right TO crab in the
waters of the entire State. That fail
ure on the part of the shipper TO OBJ
tain license as provided shall be pun
ishable by a fine of $50 and that fail
ure on the part of the catcher to OBJ
tain license as provided shall be pun
ishable by fine Of $25.
"That inspectors TO enforce the pro
vision of the crab law shall be ap-
pointed by the Board Of Public Works,
as follows: Anne Arundel county,
one inspector; Charles county, one
inspector; Dorchester county, two in
spectors; Somerset countytwo inspec-
tors; Talbot county, one inspector.
"That said Inspectors hall serve
from May J to November l in each
year and that they shall be compensa-
ted from the revenue derived from the
| license fees, the remainder of the rev
enue so derived 50 apportioned be
tween the State Of Maryland and the
public school fund Of each county from
| which such revenue is derived"