The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-10-10
CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDA

the Eastern Shore north OF the Choptank RIVER
one associate member shall be a resident OF
that section of the Eastern Shore south of the
Choptank River, one associate member shall
be a resident of that section of the Western
Shore outside the counties OF st. Marys' Cal,
vert and Charles, one associate member snail
be q resident of that section of the Western
Shore comprising the counties of st. Marys
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 S2,4OO
per annum as may be fixed IN the budget.
8. On June l, 1882 all the rights, powers
duties and functions heretofore conferred upon
or exercised by the Conservation Commission
with respect to oysters, shellfsh, 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
be transferred to and thereafter be exercised
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 tdewater, viz: fish,
crabs, terrapin, oysters, clans and other shell
fish. The Commission shall be charged with
the execution OF all laws now IN force OF mere
after enacted relating to any of the above sub
jects and particularly with the enforcement
of all laws relating to licenses and 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 as 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
lied to operate, SELL buy, lease. exchange,
rent repair such vehicles, vessels, boats,
nets and other equipment as may be necessary
for the work of the Commission.
5. 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
Commissioner at such time and place as he
may designate.
nit cause to be taken any fish or marine
organism for scientific purposes or for fish
or shellfsh propagation.
7. The Commission 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 a financial statement showing its col
lections, receipts and disbursements. The said
report shall include such statistical informa-
ton relating to the seafood industry 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 advisable. The Commission, upon
instructions from the Governor, shall cooper
ate with any Commission or other agency of
the State Government appointed to study the
welfare or improvement of the State Govern
ment.
8. 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 shelfish laws, and
shall be in command Of the Commissions YES
sells, boats and vehicles. Each associate men,
Der shall supervise the planting and trans
planting of shells and oysters in the area in
which he is a resident in accordance with pol
icies determined by the Commission. and shall
perform such other duties may be directed
by the Commission.
0. The Commissioner, with the approval of
the Commission, shall appoint a secretary
who shall be paid such salary not to exceed
$4,000 per annum as may be fixed in the bud
such salary not to exceed $4,000 per
annum, may be fixed in the bud
get, a captain who shall be paid such salary
not to exceed $4,000 per annum, may be
fixed in the budget, and Director of the Ma
rine Laboratory and Biological Research, who
shall receive such salary as may be fixed in
the budget. The Commissioner, after consul
taton with the present director. and with the
approval of the Commission, shall appoint or
continue in employment biologist and such
other employees of the Marine Laboratory as
he may deem necessary, and the salaries of
each of such employees shall be fixed by the
Commission. The Commissioner, with the ap-
proval of the Commission, shall employ such
clerks and stenographers and other employees
as may be necessary. All employees provided
for in this Article shall hold their respective
positions under the provisions of the Merit
System, Article GA 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 and
direction of the Commissioner, shall have and
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 ascertainng the total num-
Der of bushels of oysters caught within the
waters of the State of Maryland, the number
of gallons shucked and shipped, the pounds
of crabs and crab meat quantities of soft crabs
and clans, quantities of each kind of fish, and
also the quantity in bushels or gallons of
oysters that purchased from points out of
the State, and shall file with the Commission
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 keep
DOCKS, statements and accounts, and all such
books statements and accounts shall be open
to inspection by the secretary or his duly au-
thorized agents at all times.
Any person violating the provisions of this
section shall be guilty of msdemeanor and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined not less
than 500, nor more than $500, and shall be
adJudged in contempt of court until he
plies Herewith. All monies arising from fines
collected under this section shall be RENTED
to the Comptroller for credit to the Conserva-
ton Fund.
IL. (a) The surveyor shall have charge of
surveying and marking natural oyster bars
reserved areas, leased bottoms, Grabbing
grounds, clam grounds and pound nets, and
shall perform such other surveying or en-
gineering work as may be required by the Com
OBJ The captain shall be in command of all
vessels and boats owned controlled by the
Commission, and under the control and direc-
ton of the Commissioner shall supervise the
maintenance and replacement of the same
and perform such other duties as the Commits
sioner may direct. The captain shall have and
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 Laboratory
and Biological Research under the supervis-
ion and direction of the Commissioner shall
have charge of the Marine Laboratory and
the Biological Research carried on in con-
nection herewith, and shall perform such
other duties as the Commissioner may direct.
IL. The Commissioner, with the approval
of the Commission shall appoint a county in
spector for each tidewater county, each of
whom shall receive such salary not to exceed
$1,000 per annum as may be fixed in the bud
get and each of whom shall give bond to the
Conditioned Col -