Evening star., 1948-01-04
Tuck 10 Request
Joint Potomac
.FisheriesGroup
Citicizes Boy Setup;
Lone Halls Proposals
In 2-Stute Study
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Assoeiotsd Press
RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 3.-Gov.
Tuck promised today to recommend
to the General Assembly favorable
consideration of a joint Maryland
Virginia commission for the regula-
ton of Potomac River fisheries al
proposed earlier this week by stud
commission of the two States.
The Virginia Governor qualified
his approval of the study groups
recommendations with respect to
Chesapeake Bay, however, saying he
did not believe sufficient safeguards
were provided for Virginia in this
respect. :
He probably would have no OBJ
lection though, the Governor said,
to the joint authority being estab-
lished with the provision that its
decisions could be put into effect
only after concurrence by q ma
jority of the three members of each
State.
Lane Calls 1t "Only Hope"
At the same time Gov. Lane of
Maryland said at Annapolis that
he regarded the proposed Virginia.
Maryland Chesapeake Bay author
ity as "the only hope for the fish
ing industry of the two States" and
urged the Legislatures of both States
to amend the compact of 1785 to
carry out the study commissions
recommendations.
The joint study commission,
headed by former State Senator c.
O'Conor Goolrick Of Fredericksburg,
made its report this week after
months of studying the difference
in fisheries standards between the
two States.
In statement today Gov. Tuci-
said:
II appreciate the painstakin
work of the Chesapeake-Potoma
Study Commission and I can Sc
without hesitation that shall rec
ommend to the General Assembly, c
Virginia favorable consideration {
joint commission for regulation
the Potomac River fisheries, whic
constitute a joint problem.
Safeguards Not Sufficient.
"The broader proposal for regL
lation of FIN fishing and grabbing
in the Chesapeake Bay by the same
joint authority raises questions
which must receive the most careful
consideration. Most of the valuable
part of the bay lies in Virginia.
II am in sympathy with the pur-
pose of solving our mutual problems
by joint action but I do not believe
the commissions recommendation
provides sufficient safeguards for
Virginia with respect to the bay.
THE Chesapeake and its tribu-
taries comprise one of Virginia's
great natural resources. We should
be able to work in cooperation with
our sister States without surrender
ing to them our valuable assets or
our right to control them.
Il may have no objection to a
joint authority being established to
formulate and administer pro-
gram with the provision that its
actions and decisions could be
placed into effect only after a con-
currence by a majority of the three
members of each State. Such pro-
tective language is contained in the
Ohio River Valley sanitation COM
pact and in other similar agree
ments."
Proposals Praised by Lane.
Gov. Lane said the study commits
sion's report contained "the most
constructive and forward looking
set of proposals" made since sea
food production in the bay declined
and conflicting interests developed
between the two States.
Adoption of the recommendation
would mark a turning point in
hitherto fruitless efforts toward re-
Mobilization of the productivity of
these great natural resources" he
continued.
The interstate authority could
resolve problems of conflicting leg
islation and consider the interests
of commercial fishermen in both
States in establishing regulations
for the handling of migratory fish,
Gov. Lane said.
I'm the adoption of the recon-
mendations of the commission " ."
he said, "lies the only hope for the
fishing industry of the two States,
not only for future generations, but
for the comparatively immediate
future" he added.
Hammond to Advise Tuck.
To help Virginia's General As
sembly work out legislative details,
the Governor said he had asked
Attorney General Hall Hammond
to advise Gov. Tuck Of Virginia and
his legal staff Of pertinent provi-
sions of the Maryland constitution
and statutes.
The Virginia Legislature meets
this month and Gov. Lane said he
hoped it would ratify the interstate
authority.
Il propose to incorporate the rec
concentrations of the commission in
the conservation program of this
State administration" he went on,
"and to the limit Of my ability press
for its adoption by the General
Assembly of Maryland at its 1949
session "