Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-02-25
ASKS FORLAWS TO
PROTECT THE CRAB
Shellfish Commission Would Pro-
hibit Sale Of Female Bearing
Eggs.
WANTS AID FROM VIRGINIA.
Requests Power to Adjust Oyster Bed
Rentals ---Requests Adequate
Police Force - Protect
Pianfinrs


The Board OF shcuGsh Commits frn-
ers OF Maryland recently made rahH.
its seventh annual report Ir asss faH
laws protecting the crab mlustrr af
the state
A part OF the report thar viii prob
ably be received with a great deal of
satisfaction BY Iessees Of the state
grounds who feel that thev were done
grave injustice by being forced Go
pay higher rental under the new
oyster law than those who started m
under more favorable circumstance.
is the recommendation that this i'm
Justice be rectiied.
The Commissioner. ask the present
General Assembly for power TO make
such adjustments as justice may de
mand The board also asks the Legis-
lature for power to accept surrender
of leased lands and credit rentals on
such lands heretofore paid against
rentals then due or thereafter 20 be-
come due on other land The report
says in part
The commission would recommend
neutral zone be so modified as either
TO exclude both the natural-rock oys-
termen and the lessees from working
thereon or so as TO make il permis-
sihle for either to work thereon In
this latter case the lessee who at
tempted to stock land beyond his own
boundary limits would do so at his
own risk. and yet would not be liable
for appropriation of the public terri
tory nor under necessity of securing
an additional license if in planting or
working his territory he happened to
get a few feet over his line
The commission believes that the
State should undertake experimental
work in oyster culture. in the produc-
tion and propagation of the crab and
IN other lines relating to the seafood
supplies of the State Ii recommends
that proper provision should be made
by the Legislature for such work.
IF however, the State is 20 deal ef-
fectiyely with the general oyster situ-
alton it must have an adequate police
force. with vessels adapted to present
day conditions Until the State is
ready TO give more effective protection
10 the small lessee than Il has so far
afforded him. oyster culture. unless
upon sufficient scale to justify the
lessee in protecting his own property
or in a community where nC-protec-
tion is needed, is. in the opinion ofthis
commission, impractcable~
The commission calls the attention OF
the General Assembly to the import
ance of passing the following protec-
tive measure for the crab industry:
Prohibiting the taking, having in
possession or offering for sale by any
person or persons within the State of
Maryland of any hard-shell crab under
five inches from tip Of spike 10 tip Of
spike. prohibiting the taking. having
in possession or offering for sale of any
female egg-bearing tsponge) crabs by
any person CT persons within the State
of Maryland at airy time
Prohibiting the taking of the fe-
male soft crabs (known as doublers)
by trotline crabbers during the months
of August and September requesting
the General Assembly Of the State Of
Virginia TO cooperate with Maryland
in the passage of concurrent legisla-
tion for the protection OF the crab. in
order that this crustacean may be pro-
tected Throughout the entire Chesa-
peake basin, and further requesting
that the State OF Virginia pass laws
regulating winter dredging for crabs
in the vicinity of the Capes, in order
that the grayid females. seeking those
waters, may be protected"