Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-08
OYa vote of 80 to 20. the Mary
K land House of Delegates passed

TYa vote Of 80 to 20. the Mary
- land House of Delegates passed
the purse net bill prohibiting the
use of these hsh-exterminating
devices in Maryland waters. Despite
the almost 4-to-1 vote on the measure,
it was not passed without hot debate.
AS q matter Of fact. the bill was one
of the most bitterly contested Of the
entire session.
It was sent to the Maryland Senate,
where Senator Beck, Kent County, is
expected to make a vigorous night
against it.
The anglers Of Maryland and the
District of Columbia are now looking
eagerly to the introduction of the black
bass bill by Delegate Raymond Miller OF
WilliamSport. This bill viii prohibit
the sale and shipment of black bass
in Maryland. At present Maryland Is
one Of the few remaining States in the
Union that has not passed such bill.
In the opinion of Rod and Stream,
the black bass bill Is far more important
than the purse net bill, as it affects
fishing not only in Maryland but also
in Virginia. The bass are being
slaughtered along the lower Potomac
and shipped to the Baltimore markets.
II this bill is passed the many thou
sands Of anglers fishing in the Potomac,
both above and below tidewater, VIII
soon see the results by catching more
and larger bass. And those fishermen
who have been trying TO defeat the
purse net and black bass bills VIII also
ind that they are making more money
catering to the wants of the anglers
than they did catching and selling fish.
NN March 16 the Virginia Commits
" sion of Game and Inland Fisheries
will meet at Alexandria. The ques-
ton of q ban on using nets in the
creeks and coves on the Virginia side
Of the Potomac River will be the prin-
cipal topic. The commission, acting
under authority Of the General Assem-
bly,, which granted 1t full control
over brackish and fresh water streams
in the State, closed the area from Hol-
lowirgs Point to the District Of Column
bit to the use Of nets the first OF the
year.
This action Of the commission was
protested by the commercial fishermen
Of Accotink. These fishermen claimed
catching the fish in the creeks and
coves was their livelihood and that their
fathers and grandfathers had engaged
in the same business. They said each
of the men engaged in hauling seines
and nets had from $500 to $500 invested
and that they had been paying license
to the State amounting to over $1,000
for the privilege.
The commercial fishermen were under
the impression that the Virginia COM
mission acted without authority when
it refused to grant them 1881 license.
Judge Snow of Alexandria, a member OF
the commission, attended a protest
meeting held at Accotink last month
and explained to them how the Gen.
eral Assembly had granted the commits
sion full authority for their act. Not
wtthstanding Judge Shows explanation,
the fishermen again protested and the
matter was taken up by the full COM
mission at its meeting in Roanoke last
month, but final action was withheld
until the Alexandria meeting.
ENOUGH cannot be said about the
IL importance Of checking the whole
sale netting of bass in the lower
Potomac. The fish are shipped TO the
Baltimore and Philadelphia markets.
Just who Is catching the fish, Of course,
we do not know, but we do know they
are being taken in large numbers. We
| also know that It Is a hard matter, or
has been in the past to secure con-
viction for violation Of the fishing laws
| in Virginia To prove this statement
we recall the catch Of TOO or 800 black
bass taken by meters around Occoquan
| Bay four or Ave years ago. When the
men who had caught the fish and
| placed them in hiding returned to get
| them for shipment they were appre-
hended by game warden and placed
under arrest. At the time the case
created quite bit OF excitement, but
when the case came up for trial the
men were freed, the judge saying he did
not have enough evidence to convict
| them-that the fish were not actually In
their possession at the time OF their
| arrest.
The creeks and coves on both sides
Of the Potomac are natural breeding
grounds for bass. Anglers fishing In
the lower Potomac report they have
seen nets stretched almost entirely
across the mouths of some OF the creeks
and others report they have actually
seen the bass in the nets. The COM
mercial fishermen are licensed to catch
carp. catfish. yellow perch. shad and
herring, but 1t is doubtful that they re-
turn TO the water all the bass they find
entangled in their nets. Rod and
Stream thinks It would be foolish for
them to take fish for which they receive
about IL cents q pound when they can