The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-08-29
CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDA

Choptank River one associate member shall
be resident OF that section of the Western
Shore outside the counties of ST. Mary's, Cal
vert and Charles, one associate member shall
be a resident of that section of the Western
Shore comprising the counties of St. Mary 5.
| Calvert and Charles. The Commissioner OF
| Fisheries shall be chosen from the State at
| large. All vacancies among said members shall
| be filled by the Governor with the advice and
consent of the Senate.
| 2. The Commissioner of Fisheries shall re-
ceive such salary not exceeding $4,000 per an
mum as may be fixed in the budget. and the
associate members of the Commission shall
each receive such salary not exceeding So 400
per annum as may be fixed in the budget.
| 3. On June l. 1889, all the rights. powers.
| duties and functions heretofore conferred upon
or exercised by the Conservation Commission
| with respect to oysters, shelfsh, the State
Fishery Force or Oyster Navy and the Com
mander and personnel thereof, Chesapeake
Bay and tidewater fish, fisheries and hatcher
! les and the State Biological Laboratory shall
! and performed by the Commission of Fisheries
and thereupon the said Conservation Commits
sion shall be abolished
| A. The Commission shall have the general
supervisory power, regulation and control over
| the following natural resources of the State,
| within the bounds of the tidewater, viz. fish,
crabs, terrapin, oysters, clans and other she'll
| fish. The Commission shall be charged with
the execution of all laws now in force or here
| Gfter enacted relating to any of the above sub
| jects. and particularly with the enforcement
! OF all laws relating TO licenses ana inspections
| The Commission shall have control over the
| inspection of oysters, fish or crabs, wherever
! caught or sold in the State of Maryland, and
| of the enforcement of the Gull laws and other
protective measures. The Commission is en-
powered to provide such arms, ammunition and
| equipment may be required for the vessels,
| boats and vessels owned by it or owned by the
| State of Maryland and subject to the control
| of the Commission. The Commissioner, with the
| approval of the Commission. shall be author
ICED to operate. sell, buy, lease. exchange,
rent or repair such vehicles, vessels, boats,
nets and other equipment as may be necessary
| for the work of the Commission.
3. The Commission shall establish and
maintain a permanent office in the City of
| Annapolis where its meetings shall be held and
/ where all books records, charts, other official
| papers and documents relating to the work of
! the Commission shall be kept. The Commission
/ shall meet during the first and third week
of each month at its office. in Annapolis, and
| in addition shall meet upon the call of the
| may designate.
6. The Commissioner may ct any time per-
NIT cause to be taken any fish or marine
organism for scientific purposes or for fish
| or shellfsh propagation.
Z. The Commission on or before the second
| Monday in January. in each year, shall pre-
pare and present to the Governor printed
report showing the operations of the Com
mission during the preceding year, together
with financial statement showing its col
! lections, receipts and disbursements. The said
report shall include such statistical informa-
! ton relating to the seafood industry as may
/ have been obtained by the Commission. Prior
to each meeting of the General Assembly, the
| Commission shall make such recommendations
to the Governor for the improvement of the
| condition of the fisheries as it shall deem
necessary OF advisable. The Commission, upon
instructions from the Governor, shall cooper
! ate with any Commission other agency of
! the State Government appointed to study the
welfare or Improvement of the State Govern
ment.
s. The Commission shall exercise all the
powers herein conferred except that the Com
missioner shall be wholly responsible for the
enforcement of the fish and sheliish laws, anG
shall be in command of the Commissions YES
sells, boats and vehicles. Each associate mem.
Der shall supervise the planting and trans.
planting of shells and oysters in the area il
| which he is resident in accordance with pol
! icies determined by the Commission, and shall
perform such other duties may be directed
! by the Commission.
9. The Commissioner, with the approval oil
the Commission, shall appoint secretary
$4,000 per annum as may be fixed in the bud
| get, surveyor who. shall be pait
such salary not to exceed $4,000 pei
annum, as may be fixed in the bud
not to exceed So 900 per annum. may bt
fixed in the budget and Director of the Ma
| rine Laboratory and Biological Research. who
| shall receive such. salary as may be fixed il
the budget. The Commissioner, after consul
tation with the present director. and with tn,
approval of the Commission, shall appoint OF
continue in employment biologist and sucf
other employees of the Marine Laboratory u!
he may deem necessary, and the salaries oil
| each of such employees shall be fixed by the
| Commission. The Commissioner, with the APP
proval of the Commission, shall employ sucf
clerks and stenographers and other employee
| as may be necessary. All employees provided
for in this Article shall hold their respective
positions under the provisions of the Mer
| System, Article 64A of the Annotated Code OF
| Maryland. The Commission shall have power
to require any employee of the Commission who
| handles funds. to furnish bond in such amount
| as the Commission may determine.
10. The Secretary of the Commission shall
have and exercise all the powers and author
ity conferred by this Article upon the county
| inspectors hereinafter provided for. The secre
tary, acting under the control, supervision anC
direction of the Commissioner, shall have an(
exercise all the powers and duties herein con
ferred upon the Commission. 1t shall be the
duty of the secretary to audit the books Of
the various oyster packers, crab and clam ship
pers and fish dealers. including any catches
of the above seafoods. who may ship direct
for the purpose of ascertaining the total mum
Der of bushels of oysters caught within the
waters of the State of Maryland the number
of gallons shocked and shipped the pound.
of crabs and crab meat, quantities of soft crab:
and clans, quantities of each kind of fish, anC
also the quantity in bushels or gallons OF
oysters that are purchased from points out OF
weekly reports showing the result of such
audit.
In order to enable said secretary to secure
the information required, all persons engaged
in the pursuits mentioned herein shall keeI
| books, statements and accounts, and all sucr
books, statements and accounts shall be oper
to inspection by the secretary his duly au
thorized agents at all times
Any person violating the provisions of thi.
| section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor anC
upon conviction thereof shall be fined not les.
| than 500. nor more than $780, and shall b,
adJudged in contempt of court until he com
plies Herewith. All monies arising from fine:
collected under this section shall be RENTED
to the Comptroller for credit to the Conserva
ton Fund.
IL. (a) The surveyor shall have charge o.
i surveying and marking natural oyster bars
! reserved areas, leased bottoms, Grabbing
grounds, clam grounds and pound nets. an,
shall perform such other surveying or en-
gineering work as may be required by the Com
missioner.
(b) The captain shall be in command of al
vessels and boats owned controlled by tn,
| Commission, and under the control and direc
ton of the Commissioner shall supervise tn,
! maintenance and replacement of the SAM
and perform such other duties as the Commits
sloner may DIRECT The captain shall have ant
exercise all the powers and authority con
ferred by this Article upon the county inspec
tors hereinafter provided for,
(c) The Director of the Marine Laborator,
and Biological Research under the supervis
| ion and direction of the Commissioner shall
have charge of the Marine Laboratory ant
the Biological Research carried on in con
nection herewith. and shall perform sucl
other duties the Commissioner may direct
IL. The Commissioner, with the approva
OF the Commission, shall appoint a county in
spector for each tidewater county, each o
whom shall receive such salary not to excee,
$1,000 per annum may be fixed in the bud
get, and each of whom shall give bond to tn
State of Maryland. in the penalty of 81 900
conditioned upon the faithful performance o
the duties imposed upon them by this Article