Evening star., 1947-10-03
@ylaAdA6a
Faster Boats for
Oyster Patrol
40 Antiquoted Craft,
Outrun by Dredgers,
Are to Be Replaced
By J. L. Michael
SnerinI Sfnr

y
Tidewater Fisheries Commission
today announced plans to replace
the States oyster fleets 40 slow, an
tiquated patrol boats with fast new
croft capable of running down the
swiftest illegal oysterman.
Negotiations are now in progress,
Mr.. Clark said, between his depart
ment and the Maritime Commission
for the lease or purchase of surplus
Army and Coast Guard crash and
picket boats. The crash boats are
capable of speeds up to 80 knots.
Meanwhile, reports of shooting in
somes dredging areas are being re-
ceived. Shore observers said sounds
similar to rifle or machinegun fire
were heard yesterday in the Cedar
Point Bar vicinity when dredge
boats sped away on arrival of pa
troll boat.
Boats Due in 90 Days.
Assisting in procurement of new
boats is William H. Labrot, Annapo-
lis, who is aiding the Fisheries
Commission in maritime matters.
Mr.. Labrot was wartime commander
of the Port of Baltimore.
The new patrol craft are expected
to be commissioned within 60 days.
All of the boats will be radio
equipped and will be armed with
the latest type of weapons developed
during the last war. q
"It is expected" Clark said, that
the new craft will require less per-
sonnel than employed at present" +"
Three main crews comprise the
complement of most of the patrol
craft now in use. Several of these
boats have been in service more
than 20 years, and have speeds as
low as knots.
Fails to Give Details.
Chairman Clark declined to reveal
details of the plan for disposal of
the old craft and purchase or lease
of the new vessels. He explained
that negotiations were nearing
completion and that he would issue
a statment "at the proper time"
Sources close to the Fisheries
Commission said, however, that the
speed of the new boats and their
more efficient operation would effect
a considerable saving to the State
taxpayers. A smaller number of
the fast boats, they explained, can
patrol more territory and can op-
crate at less expense than the pres
ent slow craft.
Officials said dredge boats are
operating night and day on the
Potomac River despite the fact that
four of the commissions patrol
boats are now in the Rock Point
Cobb Island area.
Enforcement craft now assigned
to the lower Potomac and Wicomico
Rivers, conservation officers said
yesterday, are the Pocomoke, Kent,
Wjcomico and Somerset. The Kent
and Somerset were ordered to the
area a few days ago.
Force is insufficient.
That even this. augmented force
is insufficient was revealed yester-
day when three Maryland men re-
turned from fishing trip off Old
Cedar Point bar on the Potomac
They declared they had been forced
to stop fishing because dredge boats
were at work over the bar.
Their lines and ours crossed so
much" they said, that we decided
to come ashore
All of the fishermen asked that
their names be withheld. They ex-
planned that they were residents of
the section and believed the dredg-
ers would attempt to retaliate if they
were identified as informers.
One of the fishing party said,
however, that seven boats were
dredging over Cedar Point Bar yes
terday afternoon.
Charles County oystermen report
that there is at present a fairly
plentiful supply of oysters on Cedar
Point Bar, but that most are under
legal size. Dredgers take all oysters
caught, regardless of size.
Boats Have No Markings.
"Six of the seven dredge boats" :"
the fisherman added, had no num-
bers or other identifying marks. We
were at times as close as Is yards
to these six boats. The seventh
had numbers on its bow, but it
stayed so far away the numbers
could not be read. Three more
dredge boats appeared just as we
left at sunset"
Marine law requires that num-
bers assigned by State customs Off
cials be painted on both sides of
a boats bow.
The f1shermen's report was veri-
fed by observers on shore, who
saw 10 dredge boats circling over
Cedar Point Bar from 4 to pm
yesterday.
At 8 o'clock a patrol craft came
on the scene. The dredge, boats
roared away at full speed and made
a series of sharp reports that sound
ed like rife or machine-gun fire.
Watchers said the sounds came from
weapons fired from the patrol craft.
These statements, however, could
not be confirmed.
Conservation Men Shoot.
Capt. Walter j. Smith, commander
of the patrol boat Kent, said that it
was the usual practice of conserva-
ton officers to fire few shots dur
ing chase.
He explained this was because
persons in the chased boat could
not hear the patrol siren when their.
own engines are running. Most boat
engines are not equipped with
nuflers.
"In such cases." Capt. Smith
declared, "the shots are fired in the
air as stop signals"
DTA ALL ca