Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1919-07-07
LAWS TO PROTECT
SHHLFISH ODE EYED
Captain Saunders Says That Lo.
cal Watermen Garry Out The
Spirit OF Regulations
SMALL CRABS EXCLUDED

i Captain William I'll Saunders. who
for years commanded tie local vessel
of the state Fishery Force, and con
sifnned TO perform the same duties when
| the functions of that body were US
snnsad hy the State Conservation Conn
mission. is authority for the statement
,liat sncal watefraefa arc consistently
carrying ont the various provisions Dr.
signed 10 prevent the taking of shelf
HsIl os small size. Thee regulations
refer 10 oysters. crabs and Ash of every
kind.
In fact, Captain Saunders said. these
mon realize that the laws are for their
| benefit more than for any other thing.
and no longer regard the officials as
their enemies This attitude. which
constitutes very agreeable change
over that Of few years ago. Is q
credit to the Intelligence and public
spirit of the watermen. bnt il also In
iieates that the firm yet considesate,
administration III the law BIS Capt
saunders and other local officers has
atI much effect
II viii be remembered that the oys.
ter Gull law used 70 he broken when
eyer TIE opportunity was presented,
ana that heavy fines we're inflicted
again and again on guilty parties.
while ii was matter Of common
sE.nowledge thai, i g.eat many more vio-
lated Tie law and were never appre
lended. The law requires that all
ly;;terg below two and i half inches In
length shall be culled from the larger
,ysters and returned whore ealsght,
The enforcement of this Law III prob
lilly the main causa IN the profile
yield of oysters III the last half dozen
sears, fact that no one acquainted
with conditions can deny
The oystermen themselves now rea
lie that they are tlie ones chiefly ben
Tilted ny the Gull Law and senfimpnt
s:iiong tisen. strongly condemns any
Il those who Try To evade the law sPhe
art two or three years has shown d
Gradual increase Of the number Or
local tonCers. though the absence &c
many Wsatermen who are Ia the Ber-
vice and the abundant Of lucrative
employment III other lines has kept
he number down Those who did eil-
sage Iii the craft made excellent ro-
nsns from Ii. and did not have to
work as hard as IN previous years TO
like better returns.
The regulations as To the size Of the
Inherent kinds of fish which may be-
saaglit cane later than the oyster Gull
iaw Arrests for violation Of this law
are also very few. and there ii general
recognition OF the benefits Of the law,
particularly to those who catch fish for
living.
The regulation Of the crab industry
came latest of all and vas opposed
vigorously at the time BIZ many en-
gagged III the business Under It, ils
lard crabs less than five iueiles IN
ien.stIl. ana no soft crabs less Than
hree inches III length may be taken
While certain conditions. notably the
wholesale taking of crabs BY scrapers
IL All seasons Of the year In the lower
bay. has eurtailed the catch. the pro
visions of the law have und0t btedly
oeel beneficial,
The local soft crab season has been
very good. The first abundant catch,
81 glut, OF small soft crabs was great
er than in years while at presen d
considerable number Of specially isle,
large crabs are being taken. Tfse
eatchers of both hard and soft crabs
ire making excellent financial returns
FOR their labors
Al provision of the law inhiOiting
the taking Of any female egg bearing
crabs IS strongly advocated This Law
now provides penalty for taking
such crab IN a certain state Of pro
lues ion: shat is whep she spawn has
assumed sponge like formation on
The lower side of the crab This Is OE
little value, however, as crabs In this
condition are rarely seen, as they
probably 90 to deep water. Crabs
bearing eggs hut IN not SO arlvsnfed 4
stage are easily recognizable and the
Lost Informed believe that they should
not be caught. and that great benefit
10 flne supply would rssnlt Grabs I'LL
this state are thin ana inclined to be
sour il taste, and formerly were AL
wayg excluded from the pack