Evening star., 1949-02-21
Bi-State Legislators
Reach Accord on Plan
To End Oyster Wars
By J. l. MichoeI
Stor Stoff CORRESPONDENT

COLONIAL BEACH, Va. Feb.
21.-Maryland and Virginia Tide
water legislators are in accord
today on a plan to end Potomac
River "oyster wars"
Final agreement on a proposal
advanced several weeks ago at
Tappahannock, Va. and discussed
further in Annapolis. was reached
at third session here yesterday.
Maryland Senators and Dele
gates backing what all the con-
ferees called sane and sensible"
plan. said they would introduce
a bill incorporating it's provisions
in the General Assembly.
Virginias representatives said
the bill would be presented to
their Legislature early in 1850
and predicted its passage with
no amendments.
Gets Unanimous Approval.
Conclusion OF the peace pact
contrasted sharply with a declara-
ton of total war" on Potomac
oysters dredgers issued only a few
hours before by the commander
of Maryland's tidewater fisheries
enforcement fleet.
The pact received unanimous
approval at a two-hour meeting
at a hotel in this resort town,
which for years has been the storm
center of recurring "hostilities"
between the two States.
AS finally agreed on. the plan
has as its basis the complete sep
aration of Potomac River conser-
vation problems from similar
questions existing in Chesapeake
Bay or elsewhere.
Three Member Commission.
1t contemplates creation of a
three-member Potomac River
Oyster Commission. with one
member to be named by the Gov
ernor of each State and the third
by the Governors jointly. If the
Governors should be unable to
agree, the, President would be
asked to name the third member
The bill will specify that all
three commissioners shall be resi-
dents of tidewater counties.
The commission would be given
broad regulatory powers, includ-
ing authority to oren and close
oyster bars as they may deem
advisable. The commission. how
ever, would have no jurisdiction
in tributary waters of either State.
The conferees emphasized that
they were considering no other
waters but those of the Potomac.
Other provisions of the proposal
include:
Il. Legalization of hand-dredges .
no more than 80 inches wide,
which may be equipped with
"divers" or metal plates intended
to force the light dredge to the
bottom in deep water. The COM
mission would prescribe the num-
Der and length of teeth permitted
on the dredge. 1t would be hauled
tn either by hand or by a. hand
crank OF SPOOL, onlyune dredge |
would be allowed on a beat and
crews would .~bs limited 70 three. |
Present rules affectine longing |
with shaft tongs would remain
unchanged. s.
uand drod0a icanSeS
2. Hand-dredge licenses would
be issued at Sis each only to those
who had taken out hand -tongers'
licenses in any of the three years,
1947-48-49, and. to captains Of
Virginia boats who had obtained
licenses in any of those years.
8. Patent-tongs. now legal i1 the
Potomac, would be outlawed. Pos
session of patent-tongs, and boat
equipment such as masts, booms
or power winders would be con-
sidered prima-facie evidence OF
dredging. The Maryland delega-
ton said it would introduce a sep
arate bill to make the use of
patent-tongs illegal in all Potomac
tributaries of their State.
Exempted would be Virginia
dredge- -outfitted boats whose mas
ters have obtained licenses and
posted bond to dredge oysters from
private beds.