The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1940-10-24
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 snail
be a resident of that section of the Western
Shore outside the counties of St Marys, Cal
vert and Charles, one associate member shall
be 4 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 ana
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 $1,000
per annum as may be fixed in the budget.
8. On June /, 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
be transferred to and thereafter be exercised
and performed by the Commission of Fisheries
and thereupon the said Conservation CommlS'
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: hsh
crabs, terrapin, oysters, CLANS and other shell
fish The Commission shall be charged with
the execution of all laws now in force or here
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 may be required for the vessels
boats and vessels owned by it or owned by the
/ 10 thsa tpn
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
5. The Commission shall establish and
maintain permanent office in the City oil
Annapolis, where its meetings shall be held and
where all books, records. charts, other official
papers and documents relating to the work oil
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.
| 6. The Commissioner may at any time per-
nit or cause to be taken any fish or marine
organism for scientific purposes or for fish
or shellfish propagation.
| 7. The Commission on or before the second
Monday in January, in each year, shall pre-.
pare and present to the Governor printed
mission during the preceding year, together
with a financial statement showing its col
| lections, receipts and disbursements. The sale
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 advisable. The Commission, upor
instructions from the Governor. shall cooper
ate with any Commission or other agency oil
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 shellfsh laws, anC
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 in
which he is resident in accordance with pol
cies determined by the Commission, and shall
/ perform such other duties as may be directed
/ by the Commission.
| 8. The Commissioner, with the approval Of
| the Commission, shall appoint a secretary
who shall be paid such salary not to exceed
$500 per annum as may be fixed in the bud
get, surveyor who shall be pait
such salary not to exceed $4,000 PEI
| get, a captain who shall be paid such salary
not to exceed So 900 per anpum, as may be
| fixed in the budget and Director of the Ma
rine Laboratory and Biological Research, wht
| shall receive such salary as may be fixed il
| the budget. The Commissioner, after consul
tation with the present director, and with the
| approval of the Commission, shall appoint oil
continue in employment a biologist and sucf
| other employees of the Marine Laboratory as
he may deem necessary, and the salaries oi
each of such employees shall be fixed by the
Commission The Commissioner with the ap
proval of the Commission, shall employ sucf
| clerks and StapOVr1nhprS and other arnn1OVPps
| 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 amoun
as the Commission may determine.
TO- The Secretary of the Commission shall
| have and exercise all the powers and author
ty conferred by this Article upon the county
| inspectors hereinafter provided for. The secre
direction of the Commissioner, shall have ant
exercise all the powers and duties herein con
| ferred upon the Commission. 1t shall be tn,
duty of the secretary to audit the books o.
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 thu
waters of the State of Maryland the number
of gallons shucked and shipped, the pounds
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 o.
oysters that are purchased from points out o
| the State, and shall file with the Commission
weekly reports showing the result of suct
audit.
In order to enable said secretary to secur,
| the information required, all persons engaged
in the pursuits mentioned herein shall keeI
| books, statements and accounts, and all suci
books. statements and accounts shall be opeI
to inspection by the secretary or his duly au
thorized agents at all times.
Any person violating the provisions of th
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
! surveying and marking natural oyster bars
| reserved areas, leased bottoms, grabbing
grounds, clam grounds and pound nets, an,
shall perform such other surveying en-
gineering work may be required by the Com
missioner.
4; (b) The captain shall be in command of al
! vessels and boats owned or 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
sioner 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 supervs
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 as the Commissioner may direct
IL. The Commissioner, with the approva
of the Commission shall appoint county in
spector for each tidewater county. each o
| whom shall receive such salary not to exceet
no. a I'M rr1aNr bo Hya in b,,b ,,1
get, and each of whom shall give bond to tn
State of Maryland, in the penalty of $1,000