Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-03

our waters. This bill was pigeonholed
in the committee room. In 1914 there
was more thought and publicity given
To the movement and the first bill for
the protection of the crab was passed
which was strengthened in 1915 and
during the war session of 1917
During the meeting Of the Virginia
Assembly in 1915 ;he writer was au-
thorized 10 go To Virginia and endeapor
TO get some similar legislation 10 pro-
tect the female crab in Virginia waters.
After several conferences at the state
house in Richmond, the committee
agreed to protect the crab during the
months Of June, July and August. How
ever, when this legislation was brought
before the Assembly, the season was re-
duced TO one and a half months from
July Is TO September II. The most i'm
portant season for protecting the crab
bearing the egg -sponge was found to be
May and June.
In 1917 the United States Bureau of
Fisheries made a careful investigation
of the life history of the blue crab OF
Chesapeake Bay. This investigation was
conducted BIZ Dr. E. p. Churchill. and
upon its completion it was found that
the female crab, after mating In Mary
land waters. sought the waters near the
ssry to develop the eggs. This required
a period OF nine months. when the eggs
formed on the apron of the crab, Civ
ing 1t the appearance OF sponge-hence
the name sponge crab" 1t was found
that single female crab was capable
of producing about half million young.
The little crabs. when first Matched out,
are microscopic. btu after shedding about
Ave times in the shallow waters near
Hampton Roads they start their migra-
ton TO Maryland. to continue the she'd
ding process in the grassy bottoms OF
/ TangieT Sound The crab does not shed
after the temperature Of the water drops
below So degrees During the Winter
period. the crab lies dormant on the
bottoms or buries In the mud
The State of Virginia especially
The interests at Hampton, the center OF
the hard crab industry, opposed any
more changes In the crab laws, and
nothing constructive was done In this
line until 1924, when Gov. Richie eX~
tended an invitation 10 ex-Gov. Trinkle
and Commissioner Lee OF Virginia 10
come to Annapolis to discuss the stu
alton
The governors agreed that iegisla-
ton was necessary 10 save the crab,
! and two commissioners were authorized
J.
matter. In 1926. Virginia passed the
/ protective legislation on the sponge
crab. which prohibits the taking OF this
crab at any time In the waters OF that
State Maryland passed legislation in
creasing the size OF hard crabs 10 8
inches tfron1 tip TO tip Of spiseb and 10
prevent the crab known as green crab
from going into floats,
MANY Iayman think that the hard
crab and the soft crab are two dis
tlnct species Of the crab family. To
grow the crab must shed. and the crab
that has Just shed its hard shell is the
soft crab II takes "a hours for the
salt water 10 harden the soft crab.
The new shell Is about three quarters
OF an inch longer than the old shell,
and that IL the way crab grows.
THIS common sense legislation on
the part OF the two States using the
great body Of water like the Chesapeake
Bay Is the best lesson we have for the
! citizens Of Maryland to enact other leg
iSiation 10 control the great nets that
take their toll Of spawning Shad and
other FISH on their way To the upper
bay waters and thereby prevent them
from reproducing II Is gratifying 10
be able 10 state that the conservation
movement In our State Is gaining thou
SANDS or followers each year, ana We
believe through education work. car
ried on in the schools and through
moving pictures and suitable literature.
we shall be able To save those resources
that have always been enjoyed by the
citizens Of this State and others, so
they may be- handed down 10 the future
generations
The writer visited Hampton In July
~ this wear and found that the very
y men who acre 1ehtine 81 strenu0uslp 10
prevent the protective laws from goinG